Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 41 · B2

wish

Use wish somebody something for good wishes, and hope for things that may happen. Use wish + past for present regrets, wish + had done for past regrets, and wish ... would for something you want to happen or change.

Start the lesson

18Steps · about 34 minutes

In this lesson

wish somebody luck; hope something happensA2 screens of questions
wish for regret: wish + past, wish + had doneB2 screens of questions
I wish I could and I wish I could haveC1 screen of questions
I wish ... wouldD2 screens of questions
wish ... would for actions, not for statesE1 screen of questions
Put it together+3 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 5

wish somebody luck; hope something happens

We say wish somebody luck / all the best / success / a happy birthday and so on.

We say wish somebody something, but we do not say I wish something happens. For that we use hope.

Sentence Pattern
We wish you a safe journey home. wish + person + noun
We hope you have a safe journey home. hope + clause (not We wish you have)
  • We wish you a very happy retirement.
  • Grandma rang before my interview and wished me luck.
  • Sorry to hear about your back. I hope it gets better soon. (not I wish it gets better)
  • We wish you a safe journey home.
  • We hope you have a safe journey home. (not We wish you have)

Point A · Exercise 41.1 · part 1 of 2

Put in wish(ed) or hope(d).

Use these

wishwishedhopehoped

  1. Example

    I wish you a very happy birthday.

    AnswerI wish you a very happy birthday.

  2. Have a lovely weekend. I the weather stays dry for you.

  3. Goodbye, and thank you for everything. We you all the best in your new home.

  4. The two captains shook hands and each other luck.

  5. We're having a barbecue on Saturday, so I it doesn't rain.

Point A · Exercise 41.1 · part 2 of 2

Put in wish(ed) or hope(d).

Use these

wishwishedhopehoped

  1. Congratulations on getting into college. I you every success.

  2. Good luck with the move. I everything goes smoothly.

Point B of 5

wish for regret: wish + past, wish + had done

wish also expresses regret: things are not the way we would like them to be.

In this use wish takes a past form (knew, lived and so on), but the meaning is present.

To regret something that has already happened, use wish + had known / had said and so on.

Units 39 and 40 deal with both patterns in more detail.

  • I wish I knew how to fix this. (but I do not know)
  • I wish you didn't live so far away. (but you do)
  • Do you wish you spoke another language? (you do not)
  • Kerry's off to the Lake District next week. I wish I could go with her. (but I can't)
  • I wish I'd known it was fancy dress. I'd have dressed up if I'd known. (but I did not know)
  • That was a daft thing to tell her. I wish I hadn't told her. (but I told her)

Point B · Exercise 41.2 · part 1 of 2

Complete the sentences.

  1. Example

    Ben is going to the cup final on Saturday. I wish I was going too.

    AnswerBen is going to the cup final on Saturday. I wish I was going too.

  2. I've got a stinking cold and a mountain of work. I wish I ill this week.

  3. You didn't tell me it was your birthday. Why not? I wish you me.

  4. I never have time to read. I wish I more time.

  5. I can't choose between the two flats. I wish I decide.

Point B · Exercise 41.2 · part 2 of 2

Complete the sentences.

  1. I bought this coat, but now I don't like it. I wish I it.

  2. We have to visit my aunt this afternoon, and I'd rather stay in. I wish we go.

  3. Unfortunately I couldn't get to Callum's leaving do last week. I wish I could .

Point C of 5

I wish I could and I wish I could have

I wish I could (do something) means I regret that I cannot do it.

I wish I could have (done something) means I regret that I could not do it.

  • It's a shame you're leaving. I wish you could stay for tea. (but you cannot)
  • I know that face. I wish I could remember where from. (but I cannot)
  • Everyone says the wedding was lovely. I wish I could have been there. (but I could not go)

Point C · Extra practice

Complete each sentence with I wish I could or I wish I could have.

  1. I can't come to your party. come, but I'm working that night.

  2. I know her face. remember her name.

  3. Everyone says the wedding was lovely. been there.

Point D of 5

I wish ... would

Gareth's neighbour has been drilling since eight o'clock this morning. Gareth says:

I wish he would stop drilling.

Gareth wants the drilling to end. He has little confidence that it will.

I wish ... would expresses a wish for something to happen or change, very often as a complaint.

I wish ... wouldn't complains about something people keep doing.

  • I wish he would stop drilling.
  • The baby's been crying for an hour. I wish she'd go to sleep.
  • I wish you'd (= you would) help with the washing-up instead of just watching.
  • I wish you wouldn't leave your socks on the floor. (= please stop leaving them there)

Point D · Exercise 41.3 · part 1 of 2

What do you say in each situation? For items 1 to 4, write a sentence with I wish ... would ... . For items 5 to 7, write a sentence with I wish ... wouldn't ... .

  1. Example

    It's snowing. You want to drive to your mum's, but not in the snow. You say:

    I wish it would stop snowing.

    AnswerI wish it would stop snowing.

  2. The delivery driver was due at nine. It's now eleven. You mutter: I wish he ...

  3. You are trying to sell your car, so far without success. Nobody will buy it. You say: I wish somebody ...

  4. You can hear a car alarm. It has been going off for a long time and you are trying to work. You say:

  5. Your brother slurps his tea loudly, and it drives you mad. You tell him: I wish you ...

Point D · Exercise 41.3 · part 2 of 2

What do you say in each situation? For items 1 to 4, write a sentence with I wish ... would ... . For items 5 to 7, write a sentence with I wish ... wouldn't ... .

  1. Rosie keeps helping herself to your shampoo. It annoys you. You tell Rosie:

  2. People keep dropping litter outside your house. It annoys you. You say: I wish people ...

Point E of 5

wish ... would for actions, not for states

I wish ... would is about an action we want to happen. To wish that a situation were different, use the past instead.

Want an action Want a different state
I wish the plumber would come. I wish the plumber was (or were) here now. (not would be)
I wish somebody would fix the heating. I wish we had central heating. (not would have)
  • I wish the plumber would come. (= I want him to come)
  • I wish the plumber was here now. (not I wish the plumber would be here)
  • I wish somebody would fix the heating.
  • I wish we had central heating. (not I wish we would have)

Point E · Extra practice

Put in would or the past form. Use would only for an action you want to happen.

  1. I wish the bus . We've been waiting ages. (come)

  2. I wish the bus here now. (be)

  3. I wish we a bigger kitchen. (have)

Put it together · Exercise 41.4 · part 1 of 3

Put the verb into the correct form.

  1. Example

    That was a rude message. I wish I hadn't sent (I / not / send) it.

    AnswerThat was a rude message. I wish I hadn't sent it.

  2. Example

    I'm sick of this wind. I wish it would drop (it / drop).

    AnswerI'm sick of this wind. I wish it would drop.

  3. It's a hard crossword clue. I wish (I / know) the answer.

  4. The film was dreadful. I wish (we / not / go).

  5. I wish (the taxi / come). We've been standing here for half an hour.

  6. You're lucky to be going to the coast. I wish (I / can / come) with you.

Put it together · Exercise 41.4 · part 2 of 3

Put the verb into the correct form.

  1. Our garden is tiny. I wish (it / be) a bit bigger.

  2. I should have listened to the mechanic. I wish (I / take) his advice.

  3. You keep checking your phone while I'm talking. I wish (you / listen).

  4. You're always moaning about your job. I wish (you / not / moan) about it all the time.

Put it together · Exercise 41.4 · part 3 of 3

Put the verb into the correct form.

  1. It's boiling today. I wish (it / not / be) so hot. I can't stand the heat.

  2. I wish (the weather / change). This fog is miserable.

  3. I wish (I / have) a dog. I'd love one.

  4. When we were in Edinburgh last spring, we didn't have time to see everything we wanted to see. I wish (we / can / stay) there longer.

Lesson 41 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: Passive 1 (is done / was done)Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. wish somebody luck; hope something happens–Not checkedB. wish for regret: wish + past, wish + had done–Not checkedC. I wish I could and I wish I could have–Not checkedD. I wish ... would–Not checkedE. wish ... would for actions, not for states–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked

Practise the words

ConditionalsEvery entry, with examples you can hearExercise setsConditionals, beginner to advanced