WISH / IF ONLY VS HOPE

 

 

 

There are three distinct types of I wish / if only sentences:-

 

 

 

1 - REGRETS with the PAST PERFECT (the third conditional) e.g. I wish I hadn't got so angry.

 

2 - WANTING CHANGE FOR THE PRESENT OR FUTURE with the PAST SIMPLE e.g. I wish I had enough money to go to Mozambique this summer.

 

3 - COMPLAINTS with WOULD + INFINITIVE e.g. I wish you wouldn't arrive so late all the time.

 

 

Regrets

 

 

1 I wish I ___________________ drunk and kissed Samantha. (get NEGATIVE)

 

 

2 I wish it ___________________ so much. The garden's turned to mud. (rain NEGATIVE)

 

 

3 If only I ___________________ there, I wouldn't have got a fine. (park NEGATIVE)

 

 

Wanting change

 

 

4 If only I ___________________ more time for my hobbies. (have)

 

 

5 I wish it ___________________ more often in Valencia. (rain)

 

 

6 I wish I ___________________ to go to your nephew's wedding. (have NEGATIVE)

 

 

Complaints

 

 

7 I wish you ___________________ so much. You're a complete idiot when you're drunk. (drink NEGATIVE)

 

 

8 If only it ___________________ . The garden's as dry as a bone. (rain)

 

 

9 I wish Samantha ___________________ her hair more often. It looks so greasy all the time. (wash)

 

 

Mixed

 

 

10 I wish you ___________________ so horrible to your brother. He's a really nice bloke. (be NEGATIVE)

 

 

11 I wish the council ___________________ that beautiful old house. It was part of the town's heritage. (demolish NEGATIVE)

 

 

12 If only I ___________________ the money to go to Jon's wedding in The States. (have)

 

 

13 I wish I ___________________ her she'd put on weight. She hates me now. (tell NEGATIVE)

 

 

14 I wish you ___________________ to your mother like that. (speak NEGATIVE)

 

 

15 If only we ___________________ a Hewlett Packard printer. The cartridges are so expensive. (buy NEGATIVE)

 

 

16 I wish Jorge ___________________ so fast. It's only a matter of time before he kills someone. (drive NEGATIVE)

 

Written by Rob Wilson ©Robert Clifford McNair Wilson 2005

KEY

 

Regrets

 

 

1 I wish I hadn't got drunk and kissed Samantha.

 

 

2 I wish it hadn't rained so much. The garden's turned to mud.

 

 

3 If only I hadn't parked there, I wouldn't have got a fine.

 

 

Wanting change

 

 

4 If only I had more time for my hobbies.

 

 

5 I wish it rained more often in Valencia.

 

 

6 I wish I didn't have to go to your nephew's wedding.

 

 

Complaints

 

 

7 I wish you wouldn't drink so much. You're a complete idiot when you're drunk.

 

 

8 If only it would rain. The garden's as dry as a bone.

 

 

9 I wish Samantha would wash her hair more often. It looks so greasy all the time.

 

 

Mixed

 

 

10 I wish you weren't so horrible to your brother. He's a really nice bloke.

 

 

11 I wish the council hadn't demolished that beautiful old house. It was part of the town's heritage.

 

 

12 If only I had the money to go to Jon's wedding in The States.

 

 

13 I wish I hadn't told her she'd put on weight. She hates me now.

 

 

14 I wish you wouldn't speak to your mother like that.

 

 

15 If only we hadn't bought a Hewlett Packard printer. The cartridges are so expensive.

 

 

16 I wish Jorge wouldn't drive so fast. It's only a matter of time before he kills someone

Some practice online:

1. http://baladre.info/english/sedaviwebfront/wish1.htm
2. http://esldivlabs.vcc.ca/ELSA/Instructor_Web_Exercises/Grammar/Wish_Hope_Multiple_Choice.htm