I wish

4. Practise the following according to the model.

Model 1: a) She is fussy. I wish she weren’t fussy.
b) He is not healthy. I wish he were healthy.
1. She is very suspicious about people. 2. He is not a man of principle. 3. It’s
not up to me to make a decision. 4. There isn’t enough room for all of us here. 5.
She is not well enough. 6. His suggestion is not sensible. 7. He is lazy.
Model 2: a) He has no sense of humour. I wish he had a sense of
humour.
b) She always piles my table with her things.
I wish she didn’t pile my table with her things.
1. She has no sense of proportion. 2. They don’t know their duty. 3. He
always borrows money. 4. I just can’t get rid of this unpleasant feeling. 5. I don’t
know what they are suspecting him of. 6. He always interrupts people when they
are talking. 7. She often misses her English lessons.
Model 3: a) He missed the 8.30. I wish he hadn’t missed the 8.30.
b) He didn’t apologize to her. I wish he had apologized to her.
1. They put off their meeting till Friday. 2. This idea occurred to me too late.
3. They didn’t include me in the team. 4. He has never been frank with me. 5. I
wasted a lot of time on this foolish mystery story. 6. She didn’t hide her awful taste
in literature at yesterday’s party. 7. I followed his advice.
Model 4: a) He will go by the morning train.
I wish he wouldn’t go by the morning train.
b) She won’t apologize. I wish she would apologize.
c) You are not following me. I wish you would be following
me.
1. He won’t give up smoking. 2. He will borrow the instruments from his
neighbour. 3. She won’t admit that she is wrong. 4. They will repeat the same
mistake. 5. He will start arguing again. 6. You are not listening to me.
5. Answer the following questions according to the model, note the form of the
auxiliary verb.
Model: Are you an early riser? – I wish I were.
1. Is she good-tempered? 2. Can he do it alone? 3. Have you ever travelled by
air? 4. Will they put off their visit? 5. Is she fit for the job? 6. Did you sleep well?
7. Has he settled down anywhere? 8. Did they treat her kindly? 9. Will he arrive
today? 10. Are you a fast reader? 11. Can you read fifteen pages in half an hour?
12. Is their suggestion sensible?
6. Open the brackets, using the correct form of the Oblique Mood.
1. I wish you (not fuss) about such unimportant things. 2. He wished he (take
care) of the difficulties himself. 3. I wish you (mind) your own business. 4. She
felt so lost in this strange city that she wished she (have) someone to keep her
company. 5. He wished the child in the next room (not cry) and he (get) a little
sleep. 6. I wish she never (write) this letter. 7. She wished she (teach) him a good
lesson. 8. I wish you (talk) him into giving up the foolish idea. 9. He wished he
(put off) the party till next Saturday. 10. I wish you (take) yourself in hand. 11. I
wish you (stay) another couple of days. There is so much I’d like to talk to you
about.
7. Paraphrase the following sentences, using the Subjunctive II Mood in an
object clause after the verb “wish”.
1. I am sorry I have given you so much trouble. 2. You had better put off your
visit to them. 3. Why are you talking shop all the time? 4. I am sorry I don’t know
whom he has told about that. 5. Too bad, we have to change trains twice. 6. He is
not a man of his word, I am sorry to say. 7. He wanted to have a seat facing the
engine. 8. It would be nice if he agreed to deliver a lecture on modern art. 9. You
had better take up a job to your taste. 10. I should not have shown my surprise. 11.
She had better treat his words with attention. 12. What a pity I missed such a
wonderful chance!
8. Translate the following sentences, using the Subjunctive II Mood in an object
clause after the verb “wish”.
a) 1. а) Жаль, что вы пришли так поздно. в) Жаль, что вы не пришли
пораньше. 2. а) Обидно, что мы ушли до его прихода. в) Обидно, что мы не
дождались его прихода. 3. а) К сожалению, они еще ничего не знают. в) К
сожалению, они уже знают об этом. 4. а) Жаль, что он такой
легкомысленный. в) Жаль, что он не очень серьезен. 5. а) Я теперь жалею,
что не послушал его совета. в) Я теперь жалею, что последовал его совету.
b) 1. Мне бы хотелось посмотреть этот фильм ещё раз. 2. Я очень
сожалею, что не смогу пойти завтра на вашу лекцию. 3. Жаль, что я еще не
могу прочесть эту книгу в оригинале. 4. Я бы хотел, чтобы вы все – таки
прочли эту книгу. 5. Напрасно вы поручили ему эту работу, это ему
не под силу. 6. Мой брат жалел, что не присутствовал при проведении этого
опыта. 7. Мне бы хотелось, чтобы вы ещё раз обдумали моё предложение,
прежде чем отвергнуть его окончательно. 8. Жаль, что мы так и не
встретились перед отъездом. 9. Напрасно мы не обсудили пьесу сразу после
того, как ее просмотрели. 10. Лучше бы ты не был так упрям и послушал, что
говорят товарищи. 11. Вы не жалели, что не воспользовались такой
возможностью? 12. Хотелось бы верить, что это так. 13. Он пожалел, что
пришел и ещё привел с собой друга.
с) 1. Хотелось бы, чтобы вы оставили эту тему. 2. Жаль, что всем нам не
хватит места в машине. 3. Хотелось бы воспользоваться твоим советом, но
это невозможно. 4. Хотелось бы, чтобы кто-нибудь внес ясность в этот
вопрос. 5. Жаль, что эту книгу не включили в список литературы на этот
семестр. 6. Лучше бы вы сами взялись за дело. 7. Они сожалели, что не
полетели в Хабаровск самолетом, они бы сэкономили два дня. 8. Напрасно
она дала ему этот совет. 9. Жаль, что ее нет с нами. 10. Ему хотелось, чтобы
кто-нибудь другой позаботился о билетах. 11. Досадно, что у нее
вспыльчивый характер. 12. Хорошо бы нам обосноваться здесь навсегда. 13.
Ей хотелось бы говорить по-английски. 14. Жаль, что у нее нет чувства
долга. 15. Жаль, что я не могу присоединиться вам.
9. You know, my friend David isn’t very happy. He is never satisfied with
anything. He is always grumbling.
1. David has a cat. But he wishes he had a dog.
2. He lives in a small country house. But he wishes ____________.
3. They have a gas cooker. But he wishes _________________.
4. David is bald. But he wishes _________________.
5. His wife is a secretary. But he wishes __________________.
6. His younger daughter is married to a sailor. But David wishes
___________.
7. His older daughter is single. But he wishes ______________.
8. David speaks only English. But he wishes.
9. He has a second – hand motorbike. But he wishes ____________.
10.He plays chess. But he wishes ________________.
11.He is short-sighted. But he wishes ___________________.
12.He gets up early for work. But he wishes ___________________.
13.He gets to work by bus. But he wishes ____________________.
10. Express your wishes and regrets about yourself and your family.
a)
e.g.: You have no computer. – Oh, if I had a computer!
1. Your father smokes a lot. 8. You don’t think you are good –
looking.
2. He is bad at sport. 9. You don’t speak French.
3. You can’t type. 10. Your parents work on Sundays.
4. You ate too much at the restaurant 11. It’s not summer now.
yesterday.
5. Your parents divorced last month. 12. Your friend argues with you.
6. You are not hard – working. 13. Your boyfriend hasn’t made a
proposal to you.
7. You haven’t bought a DVD yet. 14. You have just had your hair cut.
b)
e.g.: I can’t type. – I wish you could.
1. You know, I worry too much. – I wish _____________.
2. I overslept this morning and was late for work. ________________.
3. My friend isn’t very bright. __________________.
4. And my brother is desperately shy. __________________.
5. My husband’s broken my favourite vase. And I’m afraid he won’t
apologize for it. ______________________.
6. Besides he drank too much at the party. _____________________.
7. I really want him to give up smoking. _________________.
8. My father didn’t want me to marry him. _____________________.
9. Our son doesn’t live in this city. _________________________.
10.He is rather obstinate. __________________________.
11. Match a statement (1 – 11) with a wish (a – k) and write the wishes in full using the correct form of the verb in
brackets.
1. Almost everybody is a stranger to me a) If only it (not to rain) all the time.
here.
2. I feel so tired today. b) Oh, if he (to give up) smoking.
3. The flat’s so hot in summer. c) If only I (know) more people.
4. I hate buying shoes. d) Now she wishes she (to go) to
University.
5. I don’t like living here. e) If only I (to look after) it better.
6. He smokes much. f) I wish I (to be able) to sing.
7. My goldfish has died. g) I wish I (to ask) for her consent.
8. I probably won’t meet her again. h) I wish we (to have) a balcony.
9. They need another singer for the i) If only I (not to have) such big feet.
choir.
10. My feet are killing me. j) Oh, if (to wear) more comfortable
shoes.
11. She has no higher education. k) I wish I (not to sit) up late last night.
12. Contrast wishes with facts.
e. g.: I wish I weren’t so old but I am.
1. I wish I earned more _______________.
2. If only I had followed your advice ________________.
3. If only I had a better typewriter ________________.
4. I wish I were a film star ____________.
5. I wish he had left earlier _______________.
6. I wish it would rain tomorrow ________________.
7. I wish my husband didn’t criticize me all the time _______________.
8. I wish I had long hair ___________________.
9. If only she loved me ___________________.
10.My parents wish I wouldn’t marry Alex _______________.
11.If only she had had more time _______________.
12.I wish your aunt Daphne didn’t come to visit us so often
__________________.
13.She wished she remembered their anniversary
____________________.
14.If only the police had arrived in time ____________________.
15.I wish I had been wearing my black suit at the party
_________________.
13. Express your wishes for the future. Use sentences with would – clauses for
not very hopeful wishes.
e. g.: You are going on a trip to France and you really want your classmates to
join you: I wish you would go on a trip to France with me.
1. You don’t like going to football matches alone. You want your best friend
to go with you, though he may refuse as he is sitting up for his exams:
___________
2. You are expecting a letter and you want the postman to come earlier today
though you’re not sure he will: _______________
3. You think your father is looking too hard. You want to tell him to go to
hospital although he probably won’t listen to you: ___________________
 4. You have written a letter of complaint to the garage. You want them to
give an answer as quickly as possible, but they probably won’t:
______________
5. You are not very hopeful, but you want your older brother to join the party:
_______________
6. You would like to dine out today and you want your friend to come with
you: ______________
7. You are going to have a great sea voyage and you really want your
classmates to accompany you: ____________________
14. Imagine you’re very unhappy about your roommate. Complain about your
roommate’s bad habits using wish – sentences with would or wouldn’t.
e. g.: He/she keeps coming in so late. – I wish she wouldn’t come in so late.
or I wish she would come in earlier. or I wish she would stop coming in so late.
1. He/she is impolite to your friends. 2. He/she makes a lot of noise in the
morning. 3. He/she uses up all the hot water in the shower. 4. He/she stays in the
bathroom too long. 5. He/she doesn’t write down phone messages. 6. He/she
smokes cigarettes. 7. He/she leaves dirty clothes in the living room. 8. He/she
doesn’t clean up the kitchen. 9. He/she doesn’t buy his/her own food. 10. He/she
talks on the phone for hours. 11. He/she doesn’t turn the lights off. 12. He/she
argues all the time. 13. He/she asks silly questions.
15. Say you wouldn’t like to do what you are suggested as in the model.
e. g.: Let’s go to the theatre tonight. – I’d rather we didn’t. or I’d rather we
watched a video film at home. or I’d rather we visited our parents.
1. Let’s play cards. 2. Let’s dine out tonight. 3. Why not have a break now? 4.
Let’s go for a walk. 5. Why don’t we stay in tonight? 6. I’ve got a rise today. We
can buy new furniture. 7. What would you say to moving to a new house? 8. Shall
we go to Mexico for our holiday? 9. Let’s invite our neighbour to the party. 10.
Let’s buy him a cat.
16. Sometimes Dick thinks his wife is not an ideal wife. He has some wishes,
preferences and regrets about her. What does he say?
e. g.: She speaks in a loud voice. – I’d rather she didn’t.
1. My wife was late for work yesterday. – I wish ___________________.
2. Emma told a lie to her boss. – If only __________________.
3. My wife was at the hairdresser’s. – I wish ____________________.
4. She has her hair cut really short. – I’d rather ____________________.
5. In the evening she was at the party and ate too much. – I wish
__________.
6. She is rather careless. – I wish ___________________.
7. I want her to settle down. – It’s time _____________________.
8. I want her to get a decent work. – It’s about time
______________________.
9. She smokes much. – If only ___________________.
10.I don’t want her to drive so fast. – I’d rather __________________.
11.She spends much time with my brother. – I wish _________________.
12.She can’t make cakes. It’s about time ______________________.
17. Below you have a list of regrets and desires of a woman who wastes her life
on wasteful wishes. Write down what she is going to bore all her friends with this
week. Begin with I wish, Oh if, I’d rather, It’s time, But for, If, etc.
e. g.: She isn’t happy that it’s not a real diamond in her ring. – I wish I had a
real diamond in my ring.
She complains they had to stay at a bad hotel as her husband didn’t want to
drive a few more kilometres. – If my husband had driven a few more kilometres
we would have found a better hotel.
1. She is sorry that she didn’t marry Paul and go to Mexico with him. 2. She
is sorry she sold her car and her wish is to buy a new one. 3. She regrets having
moved to the country. 4. She would like her husband to stop whistling through his
teeth. 5. She has a pug – dog but her desire is to have a Newfoundland. 6. Her wish
is to sing and to do something creative. 7. She is very sorry she spent so much
money on her new coat.
8. She regrets having gone to the restaurant yesterday. 9. They had no octopus that
day.
10. Her husband wants to hang the new picture in the study, but she prefers to see
it in the hall. 11. She thinks her husband has worked long enough to get a rise.