WISHES AND

REGRETS
WE OFTEN USE UNREAL CONDITIONALS
TO EXPRESS REGRET OR SADNESS. IN A
SIMILAR WAY, WE USE WISH + NOUN
CLAUSE TO EXPRESS SADNESS OR A
DESIRE FOR DIFFERENT SITUATION.

E.G. I WISH (THAT) I HAD A BETTER JOB.

(IF I HAD A BETTER JOB, I’D EARN
MORE.)
A) WISH + WOULD / COULD
TO EXPRESS A WISH ABOUT THE FUTURE.

E.G. I WISH YOU WOULD CHANGE YOUR MIND

ABOUT
BUYING THAT HOUSE.
I WISH SHE COULD VISIT US.
B) WISH + SIMPLE PAST
TO EXPRESS A WISH ABOUT THE PRESENT.

E.G. MY WIFE WISHES I HELPED HER WITH THE

HOUSE
WORK.
I WISH I LIVED IN A BIG CITY.
C) WISH + PAST PERFECT
TO EXPRESS A WISH ABOUT THE PAST.

E.G. MY SON WISHES HE HADN’T TAKEN

THAT JOB.
I WISH YOU HAD TOLD ME ABOUT THE
DANCE.
BE CAREFUL!
DON’T CONFUSE WISH AND HOPE. USE
WISH TO EXPRESS REGRETS ABOUT THINGS
THAT ARE UNLIKELY OR IMPOSSIBLE TO
CHANGE. USE HOPE TO EXPRESS A DESIRE
ABOUT EVENTS THAT ARE POSSIBLE.
E.G. I WISH SHE WOULD ACCEPT MY
PROPOSAL.
(I DON’T THINK SHE WILL.)
I HOPE SHE WILL ACCEPT MY
PROPOSAL.
(IT’S POSSIBLE THAT SHE WILL.)
** IF ONLY HAS A MEANING SIMILAR TO THAT OF WISH.
IF ONLY IS FOLLOWED BY A NOUN CLAUSE WITHOUT
THAT.
E.G. I WISH (THAT) I WERE GOOD AT SPORTS.
IF ONLY I WERE GOOD AT SPORTS.

** USE SIMPLE PAST AFTER IF ONLY TO EXPRESS A WISH

ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS CONTRARY TO FACT AT
PRESENT.
E.G. IF ONLY WE WEREN’T SO BUSY.

** USE PAST PERFECT AFTER IF ONLY TO EXPRESS A

WISH THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED DIFFERENTLY
IN THE PAST.
E.G. IF ONLY I HADN’T SAID THAT.
BE CAREFUL!
DON’T CONFUSE IF ONLY WITH ONLY IF.

E.G. IF ONLY JERRY STUDIED MORE.

( = I WISH HE WOULD STUDY MORE.)
ONLY IF JERRY STUDIED MORE WOULD
HE HAVE A CHANCE OF PASSING.
( = THIS WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY FOR
HIM TO
PASS.)
 Basic Structures Used in Wish Clauses
situation main clause
A wish about would + verb1
the future
A wish about Subject + wish verb2
the present
A wish about verb3
the past
 EXERCISES
1.What a beautiful view! I wish I (bring) ___ my
camera with me.

2.If only Mr. Blake (not, interrupt) ___ the speaker

all the time, the presentation would have been
enjoyable.

3.I quite like this flat, but I wish the people above
us (not, be) ___ so noisy.

4.If only I (have) ___ better eyesight.I can’t read

anything now without my glasses.
5.I really wish you (stop) ___ whistling.It’s getting
on my nerves.

6.I wish you (can, be) ___ at the party last

night.You really enjoyed yourself.

7.I wish you (can, see) ___ the look on my

husband’s face yesterday when he saw the colour
I had painted the living room.

Answers: 1)brought - 2)wouldn’t interrupt - 3)weren’t - 4)had -

5)Stopped - 6)could have been - 7)could have seen
 EXERCISES
1.EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE DROWNED IF THE BOAT ---- THE
QUAYSIDE WHEN IT SANK.
A) MUST NOT HAVE APPROACHED
B) DIDN'T APPROACH
C) HADN'T BEEN APPROACHING
D) HASN'T APPROACHED
E) WOULDN'T BE APPROACHING

2.MY BROTHER IS SITTING BY THE TELEPHONE WISHING HIS

GIRLFRIEND ---- HIM.
A) CALLS
B) HAS CALLED
C) WILL CALL
D) WOULD CALL
E) IS CALLING
3.I KNOW SİBEL WISHES SHE ---- THE HORSES WITH HER
FRIENDS, BUT SHE IS TOO YOUNG.
A) COULD RIDE
B) WOULD RIDE
C) WILL BE RIDING
D) WOULD HAVE RIDDEN
E) HAS RIDDEN

4.ONE DAY I ---- TO VISIT MY COUSIN IN AUSTRALIA IF I

CAN GET THREE WEEKS OFF WORK.
A) HAVE LIKED
B) HAD LIKED
C) WOULD LIKE
D) LIKED
E) WERE TO LIKE
5.LATER ON TODAY, I ---- A CAKE FOR TEA IF WE---- ALL OF
THE NECESSARY INGREDIENTS , OF COURSE.
A) WOULD BAKE/WERE HAVING
B) WILL BAKE/HAVE
C) COULD HAVE BAKED/HAD
D) WILL HAVE BAKED/HAVE HAD
E) WERE TO HAVE BAKED/WOULD HAVE

6.IF PEOPLE ---- ANY OPIUM-RELATED DRUG OFTEN

ENOUGH, THEY ---- PHYSICALLY DEPENDENT, OR
ADDICTED, TO THE DRUG.
A) TAKE/BECOME
B) TOOK/BECAME
C) WOULD TAKE/HAD BECOME
D) WERE TAKING/MAY BECOME
E) ARE TAKING/HAVE BECOME

ANSWERS: 1C-2D-3A-4C-5B-6A
THE END