Wishes - Explanation and Reading Practice

Today I want to share with you a topic best suited for at least intermediate learners of English. 'Wishes' - although quite straightforward in their logic, they prove to be be tricky for many English learners. Below you can find out how to build sentences with them, in what contexts they are used and what are the most common mistakes we make while using 'wishes'. After you go through the theoretical part, I strongly recommend you to look at the practice part - lots of fun and thought-provoking examples provided!



Download the printable PDF version of the lesson here!

Wishes

CONSTRUCTION :

PRESENT	FUTURE	PAST
SINGULAR	SINGULAR	SINGULAR
I wish I had a car.	I wish I could go with you.	I wish I had passed the exam.
You wish you had a car.	You wish you could go with me.	You wish you had passed the exam.
She / He/ It wishes she had a car.	She/ He/ It wishes she could go with me.	She/He/It wishes she had passed the exam.
PLURAL	PLURAL	PLURAL
We wish we were richer.	We wish they would buy that house.	We wish we had told you it before.
You wish you were richer.	You wish she would buy that house.	You wish we had told you it before.
They wish they were richer.	They wish he would buy that house.	They wish I had told them it before.

PRESENT

·         We talk about present wishes/hopes but we use Past Simple after ‘I wish’.

Ex: I wish I was younger (now). I miss the lack of responsibility.

FUTURE

·         We talk about future wishes/hopes and we use COULD or WOULD + infinitive after ‘I wish’.

Ex: I wish you would get your dream job one day!

! WOULD is never used in relation to oneself.

Ex: I wish I would be richer. – WRONG

Ex: I wish the weather would improve soon! - CORRECT     

Ex: Harry wishes he would go on a holiday. - WRONG

Ex: Harry wishes he could go on a holiday. - CORRECT              

! We can use WOULD after ‘I wish’ not only with the future meaning. It can also express a disapproval of an annoying habit/behavior.

Ex: I wish you would stop talking! (= I can’t listen to you anymore, you are annoying me!)

Ex: I wish she would start studying and stop complaining that the teacher doesn’t like her! (=It annoys me when she complains about her teacher when I know that she doesn’t study at all to have better grades).

PAST

·         We talk about past regrets and we use Past Perfect after ‘I wish’.

Ex: I wish I hadn’t spent all my money on that car. (=I spent all my money on that car and now I regret it)

Read the quotes below and discuss them. Which ones express present or future wishes and which ones are about past regrets?

I heard a definition once: Happiness is health and a short memory! I wish I'd invented it, because it is very true.
Audrey Hepburn

I wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world.
Muhammad Ali

My mother taught me about the power of inspiration and courage, and she did it with a strength and a passion that I wish could be bottled.
Carly Fiorina

I really haven't had that exciting of a life. There are a lot of things I wish I would have done, instead of just sitting around and complaining about having a boring life. So I pretty much like to make it up. I'd rather tell a story about somebody else.
Kurt Cobain

I wish I could shut up, but I can't, and I won't.
Desmond Tutu

I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes.
Yves Saint Laurent

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had spent more time alone with my computer'.
Danielle Berry

Sometimes I wish I were less sensible.
Stella McCartney