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Wishes - English lesson

WISHES AND REGRETS
This verb is used to express wishes or regrets.
It is always used to talk about unreal situations (contrary to reality).

1)  WISH to talk about the present (unreal wish)
We use wish to express a wish about a present situation,
but we think it is impossible or unlikely.

In this case, we use the past simple after wish.

  Betty wishes she had an adding machine.

Betty regrets not having a calculator, but she has to do without it.

    Use the past simple after the verb.

  Mary wishes she were a princess.
She would like to be a princess, but this is not reality.

    With the verb be, we often use were (subjunctive) instead of was.

NB : Do not confuse with hope:

• I hope you have a happy birthday.
  → Here, it is possible.

   I hope you have a happy birthday.

2) WISH to talk about the past (regret)

We use this form to express a regret about a past situation
that is now impossible to change.

 In this case, we use the past perfect (had + past participle).

 He wishes he hadn't crashed his lorry. He regrets having had the accident.

  Use the past perfect  ( had or had not + past participle )

3) WISH to express a desired change

We use wish to say that we want a situation to change,
often because it is annoying.

In this case, we use would after wish.

I wish it would stop raining!
We would like the rain to stop, but it isn’t happening.
NO Unfortunately, the rain is still there.

=====

Key points to remember:

• wish + past simple → unreal present
• wish + past perfect → regret about the past
• wish + would → desired change (complaint)

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1. Mike wishes he had hadwould havehadI don't know a more comfortable car.

2.
The dog next door is making too much noise. I wish it would keepkeepshad keptI don't know quiet

3.
It was supposed to be a secret. I wish you didn't tellhadn't toldwouldn't tellI don't know him.

4. I live in a small house. I wish I livedlivehad livedI don't know in a big one

5. I never listened to the teacher when I was at school. I wish I had paidpaidwould payI don't know more attention.

6. This exercise is very easy. I wish the teacher would givegivesgiveI don't know us more difficult things to do.

7. All my friends are very rich. I wish I had beenwill bewereI don't know rich.

8.
The little girl is hungry. She wishes she had eateneatsateI don't know a cake.

9. I don't know where I am. I wish I losehadn't lostwouldn't loseI don't know my way.

10. I love California. I wish I had beenwerewould beI don't know there right now.