Using wish

Using wish

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Using wish
Message from ivonne_k2003 posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:11:19 (D | E | F)
Dear friends,

I have a question connected, of course, with your language.
Now I'm working with my group on the structure with "wish / if only". In different grammar books we can find different explanations... So I would like to know your opinion about it...
The situation is: "You're waiting for John. He's late and you're getting impatient. You say to yourself...." and here the students should write an answer.
Please, tell me which of the options ~~(do)~~ you find correct, and which are the best.
1. I wish John wouldn't be late.
2. I wish John wasn't / weren't late.
3. If only John could get here faster.
4. If only John was already here.
5. I wish John would come at last!

I'm waiting for your help. Ivonne

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Edited by lucile83 on 05-10-2011 07:05

Re: Using wish from stammer, posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:31:02 (D | E)
Again, a completely ungrammatical and more instinctive viewpoint here:

The question marks are questions to other users who are much better versed in grammatical issues.

1. I wish (that?) John wouldn't be late. Sounds a bit odd to me, perhaps "I wish that John wouldn't be late everytime we tried to organise something." is acceptable but I prefer the second example.
2. I wish John wasn't / weren't late. I would say wasn't - I don't particularly know why, a bit of a "?" here.
3. If only John could get here faster. "If only" seems a bit poetic in this sort of context.
4. If only John was already here. Again, a bit poetic. I would say "were" in this instance, not was. ?
5. I wish John would come at last! To sound, in my opinion, incredibly 'young American' you could replace "at last" with "already". This would, I think, sound a bit more natural.

Sorry if this is of little/no help at all. I cannot really justify what I have written, but we shall see what others say.

Re: Using wish from notrepere, posted on 05-10-2011 at 00:22:18 (D | E)
Hello

Perhaps I'm over thinking it but I think you could either say:

#1 I wish/If only John had arrived on time. (He's now late and you regret that he didn't arrive on time because you're standing in the rain.)

Regret: I wish/If only + past perfect

I think you're more likely to say this to yourself.

#2 I wish you wouldn't arrive so late all the time.

You'd be more likely to say this to John after he had arrived.

On the other hand, you could just say: Where the hell is John?

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Edited by notrepere on 05-10-2011 00:24

Re: Using wish from ivonne_k2003, posted on 05-10-2011 at 00:29:33 (D | E)
I find your last sentence really interesting but... should I suggest it during a test? My students might be shocked...

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