CLAUSES

Wish and if only

Wish and if only talk about things that are not as you want them. The verb moves one step back: past simple for now, past perfect for a regret about the past, would for a change you want someone to make.

4 rules · B2

	Now	Past regret	Wanting a change
+	I wish I had a car.	I wish I had bought a car.	I wish he would stop.
−	I wish I didn't have a car.	I wish I hadn't bought a car.	I wish he wouldn't talk.
?	Do you wish you had a car?	Do you wish you had bought it?	Do you wish he would stop?

The verb after wish moves one step back
Use were for every person: I wish I were taller
Wish + would is not for yourself
If only is a stronger wish

Colours in the rules

subject Who or what does it: I, she, my brother.
verb The action or state: walk, work, go.
other words Time words and the rest of the pattern.

Wishing a present situation were different

Use wish + past simple for a situation now that is not as you want it. The past form shows it is not real, so it does not mean the past. Use were for every person.

subject wish subject past simple

Examples

I wish I had a bigger flat.
Why: Had is a past form, but the wish is about now.
She wishes she could swim.
Why: Could swim means she cannot swim now.

Common mistake

Wrong:I wish I have more free time.

Right:I wish I had more free time.

Why: The verb after wish moves one step back: have becomes had.

Not started

Regretting something in the past

Use wish + past perfect for a regret about the past: something that happened, or did not happen, and you would like it to be different. It is too late to change it.

subject wish subject had + past participle

Examples

I wish I had studied harder.
Why: Had studied: I did not study hard in the past.
She wishes she hadn't said that.
Why: Hadn't said: she said it and now regrets it.

Common mistake

Wrong:I wish I would have called her.

Right:I wish I had called her.

Why: For a past regret use had + past participle after wish, not would have.

Not started

Wanting someone or something to change

Use wish + would + base verb when something annoys you and you want it to change, or to stop. It is about other people or things, not about yourself.

subject wish subject would + base verb

Examples

I wish it would stop raining.
Why: Would stop: the rain annoys me and I want it to end.
She wishes her brother would listen.
Why: Would listen: she wants her brother to change.

Common mistake

Wrong:I wish I would have more time.

Right:I wish I had more time.

Why: Wish + would is for what others do. For yourself, use the past simple.

Not started

If only: a stronger wish

If only means the same as wish, but stronger. It is used with the same verb forms: past simple for now, past perfect for the past and would for a change.

If only subject past form or would

Examples

If only I had more time.
Why: Had means I do not have much time now.
If only we had left earlier.
Why: Had left: we left late and now regret it.

Common mistake

Wrong:If only I know the answer.

Right:If only I knew the answer.

Why: If only uses the same verb forms as wish: the verb moves one step back.

Not started

Practice all rules

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