I WISH / IF ONLY

(Ojalá)

REGRETS ABOUT THE PRESENT

1. We use I wish / If only + subject + past simple when we want something in the present to
change. Such a change is either unlikely or impossible.
I wish /If only I lived in Hollywood (I don’t live in Hollywood).

2. We use I wish / If only + subject + could when we want to talk about ability or permission.
I wish /If only I could swim; I wish / If only we could get the tickets.

3. We use I wish / if only + subject (not I) would when we complain:

about something that is annoying us and we would like it to stop:
Example: I wish my father would stop snoring
when we want something to happen sooner or later:
Example: I wish summer wouldn´t finish / would never end.

REGRETS ABOUT THE PAST

1. We use I wish / if only + subject + past perfect (had +P. Participle) when we regret in the
present what we did in the past.
Example: I wish / if only I had seen the film (I didn’t see the film).

Wish is not normally used to talk about the future. To express a wish for the future, the verb
hope is used.
I hope my team wins/will win on Saturday.

EXERCISES:
1. Grammar: tenses after I wish and if only. Put in the right tenses.

I wish / if only I ................(can) speak more languages.

I wish / if only I.................(have) a million pounds.
She wishes he ..................(stop) smoking that awful pipe.
I wish / if only the train..................(come). I’m freezing to death.
I wish / if only the office.................(not / be) so far from the station.
I wish / if only I.......................(bring) some warme clothes.
I wish / if only I.........................(spend) all my money on records and clothes.

2. What might you say if you were the people in the following situations? Make sentences using one of
the forms of wish.

1. Liz is unhappy because she has got a small flat.

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2. Thieves have stolen Candy’s fur coat. It wasn’t insured.
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3. She wants to take the top off a bottle of aspirin but she can’t open it.
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4. Katie is sitting by the telephone. She is waiting impatiently for Angus to ring.
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5. You work with someone who whistles horribly all day long.
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