WISH AND IF ONLY FOR REGRETS

Whish and if only for regrets

Wish and If only

Wish and ‘If only’ are both used to talk about regrets – things that we would like to change either about the past or the present.

Talking about the past

·        I wish I’d studied harder when I was at school. He didn’t study harder when he was at school.

·        I wish I hadn’t eaten all that chocolate. I feel sick.

·        If only I’d known you were coming.

Both wish and if only are followed by the past perfect tense when we talk about past regrets.

Wish / If only

Use:
Wish and If only can be used:
a) To wish for an ability now or in the future.
I wish I could play the guitar!        
If only I could dance like that!     

I wish I could go to your wedding next week, but I can’t.
If only I could see my grandmother more often, but I can’t.

b) To wish that something could be true at the moment.
I wish I had long hair!       If only I were taller!

c) To wish that something was happening at the moment.
I wish I was lying on the beach right now!            If only I was lying on the beach right now!

d) To wish that something kept happening again and again, or to wish it could stop happening.
I wish you wouldn’t shout so loudly.        If only he wouldn’t shout so loudly.

e) To wish that something in the past had happened in a different way.
I wish I had studied for my exam!              If only I hadn’t argued with him!

Form:

• To wish for an ability now or in the future.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + could + infinitive verb
  I wish that I could sing.
  If only I could come to Australia too!

• To wish that something could be true at the moment.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + past simple
I wish I had a pony.
I wish I was rich.
When using the verb ‘be’, you can use ‘were’ for all persons.
I wish I were rich.             If only I were rich.

• To wish that something was happening at the moment.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + past continuous
I wish that this traffic was moving. 
If only this traffic was/were moving!

• To wish that something kept happening again and again, or to wish it could stop happening.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + would + past participle
I wish you would tidy up more often.

Often:   I wish (that) / If only + subject + would stop + verb-ing
I wish he would stop shouting.
I wish (that) / If only + subject + wouldn’t keep + verb-ing
I wish you wouldn’t keep hitting me.

• To wish that something in the past had happened in a different way.

I wish (that) / If only + past perfect         
I wish I had studied for my exam!              
If only I hadn’t argued with him!

Exercise

Complete the following sentences.

1.	I wish he wouldn't  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
2.	If only his  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
3.	She wishes she hadn't  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
4.	He wishes he had  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
5.	If only I had  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
6.	I wish it would  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
7.	If only Liverpool would  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
8.	I wish he would stop  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
9.	If only she hadn't  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .
10.	I wish I didn't  chew gum in class friend would phone him learnt to speak French when I was younger live so far from school missed the train never asked her to marry him putting his shoes on the table spent all her money in the sales stop raining win the match on Saturday .