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WISH Grammar

This is a grammar reference sheet I usually give my upper-intermediate and advanced students to revise or learn the use of 'wish'

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Sonia Alo Alo
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243 views1 page

WISH Grammar

This is a grammar reference sheet I usually give my upper-intermediate and advanced students to revise or learn the use of 'wish'

Uploaded by

Sonia Alo Alo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE USE OF WISH

1- Let's start off with the easy part. 'I wish to' can mean the same as 'I want to' but it is much,
much more formal and much less common.

I wish to make a complaint. I wish to see the manager.

2- You can also use 'wish' with a noun to 'offer good wishes'.

We wish you a merry Christmas. I wish you all the best in your new job.

BUT notice that when you want to offer good wishes using a verb, you must use 'hope ' and not
'wish' (also check point 5 below).

We wish you the best of luck. We hope you have the best of luck.
I wish you a safe and pleasant journey. I hope you have a safe and pleasant journey.

3- However, the main use of 'wish' is to say that we would like things to be different from what
they are, that we have regrets about the present situation. Notice that the verb tense which
follows 'I wish' is the past simple, although the meaning of the sentence has nothing to do with
a past action.

I wish I was rich (but Im not).


He wishes he lived in Paris (but he doesnt).
It's raining. I wish it wasn't raining.
I'm going to visit her later. I wish I wasn't going to visit her later.

In more formal English, we use the subjunctive form 'were' and not 'was' after 'wish'.

I wish I were taller. I wish it were Saturday today.

3- We may also have regrets and complaints about past situations or events, in this case,
I wish is followed by the past perfect tense.

I wish I had brought the camera with me, but I left it in the hotel.
I wish he had come to the party, he would have enjoyed it (now the party is over
and he never turned up)

4- When we want to complain tactfully and/or express annoyance about something in the
present we use I wish followed by a sentence with the auxiliary 'would'. It

He won't help me. I wish he would help me.


You're making too much noise. I wish you would be quiet.
You keep interrupting me. I wish you wouldn't do that.

5- For future events - 'will' or simple present to mean a future event - we cannot use 'wish' but
must use 'hope'.

There's a strike tomorrow. I hope some buses will still be running


I hope everything will be fine in your new job.
I hope shell win = I hope she wins
I hope to meet her soon.

Sonia.alo.eoi

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