wish and if only lesson English for beginner
- 1. Wishes: ‘wish’ and ‘if only’
- 2. Whoa! The structure of sentences using "I wish" and "If only" depends on what kind of wish you're expressing: a present desire, a regret about the past, or an annoyance about someone's behavior. Here's a breakdown:
- 3. Wishing for a Different Present: Structure: "I wish/If only + Subject + Past Tense Verb" Verb Tense: We use the past tense, even though you're talking about the present, because the situation you wish for isn't happening now. Example: "I wish I lived on the beach." (You don't live on the beach currently.) Example: "If only it weren't raining today." (It is raining today, but you wish it wasn't.)
- 4. Regretting the Past: Structure: "I wish/If only + Subject + Past Perfect Tense Verb" Verb Tense: We use the past perfect tense to express a desire to change something that already happened in the past. Example: "I wish I had studied harder for my exams." (You didn't study hard in the past, and now you regret it.) Example: "If only we had gone on that trip to Italy." (The trip to Italy didn't happen, and you wish it had.)
- 5. Expressing Annoyance (with "wish") Structure: "I wish + Subject + would/wouldn't + verb" Focus: This structure is used to show annoyance with someone or something's behavior that you want to change. Verb Tense: Here, we use "would" for an ongoing habit you wish would stop and "wouldn't" for something you wish would happen more often. Example: "I wish my neighbor would turn down their music at night." (They constantly play loud music at night.) Example: "I wish it would rain more often here." (It rarely rains where you live.)
- 6. Additional Points: Remember, the key to using "wish" and "if only" correctly is understanding the verb tense that matches the kind of wish you're expressing. "If only" can sometimes sound a bit stronger than "I wish," conveying a deeper regret or longing. With future wishes, you can use "could" or "would" after "wish" or "if only" to express what you hope might happen. (e.g., "If only I could win the lottery!")
- 7. to be verbs rule When "I wish" and "If only" are used with "to be" verbs, the situation is a little different. Here's what you need to know:
- 8. Wishing for a Different Present (to be verbs): We still use the past subjunctive mood, which often appears as the past tense of "to be" (were/weren't) for first, second, and third person singular subjects ("I," "you," "he," "she," "it"). This might seem counterintuitive because it's not technically the past tense but a special form used for wishes about the present. Example: "I wish I were taller." (You aren't tall now, but you wish you were.) Example: "If only it weren't so cold outside." (It is cold outside, but you wish it wasn't.)
- 9. Regretting the Past (to be verbs): The structure remains the same: "I wish/If only + Subject + Past Perfect Tense Verb" But for "to be" verbs, the past perfect tense uses "had been." Example: "I wish I had been more confident during the interview." (You weren't confident enough, and now you regret it.) Example: "If only we hadn't been so busy last summer." (You were busy last summer, and now you wish you hadn't been.)
- 10. Here's a table to summarize the usage: Wishing for a Different Present Regretting the Past SITUATION STRUCTURE TENSE FOR ‘TO BE VERB’ I wish / If only + Subject + Verb I wish / If only + Subject + Past Perfect Past Subjunctive (were/weren't) Had been Remember, this subjunctive mood ("were" instead of "was") only applies to singular subjects in the present tense with "wish" and "if only." Plural subjects and all subjects in other tenses will use the normal past tense ("was/were").
- 11. Thanks!