Would that/help

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Would that/help
Message from onlyenglish posted on 26-02-2013 at 08:09:15 (D | E | F)
Hello every body,

Can somebody here tell me about using "would that"? Apparently it has a formal usage...
Thank you.

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Edited by lucile83 on 26-02-2013 08:53

Re: Would that/help from lucile83, posted on 26-02-2013 at 08:53:18 (D | E)
Hello,

That is the subjunctive, such as
God help us!
Long live the king!
Would that I were free! = I wish I were free!

Re: Would that/help from onlyenglish, posted on 26-02-2013 at 09:09:50 (D | E)
Thank you so much Lucile83,
don't you mind another question, why do we say "I were"?
You know it's really good to know this structure but when can we use this?
Thank you.

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Edited by lucile83 on 26-02-2013 10:36

Re: Would that/help from lucile83, posted on 26-02-2013 at 10:45:46 (D | E)
Hello,

I wish I were...were is the subjunctive, because it is just a wish, a hope.We don't know if that wish will come true or not.
Here are links about the subject
Link

Link

You can find that here by typing a keyword in the yellow case on the right top of each page
Link

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