Look at these examples to see how wish and if only are used.
That guy is so annoying! I wish he'd stop talking.
I wish I lived closer to my family.
If only I hadn't lost her phone number. She must think I'm so rude for not calling her.
I wish they wouldn't park their car in front of my house.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
We use wish and if only to talk about things that we would like to be different in either the present or the past. If only is usually a bit stronger than wish.
In the present
We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation we would like to be different.
I wish you didn't live so far away.
If only we knew what to do.
He wishes he could afford a holiday.
In the past
We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about something we would like to change about the past.
They wish they hadn't eaten so much chocolate. They're feeling very sick now.
If only I'd studied harder when I was at school.
Expressing annoyance
We can use wish + would(n't) to show that we are annoyed with what someone or something does or doesn't do. We often feel that they are unlikely or unwilling to change.
I wish you wouldn't borrow my clothes without asking.
I wish it would rain. The garden really needs some water.
She wishes he'd work less. They never spend any time together.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Hello again MARUFA MARJAN PRITHIE,
'I wish I would have...' is not a standard form. As you say, 'I wish I had...' is correct.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello BETSY,
In unreal if-clauses we can use were instead of was. This is true for all subjects and not only the third person. It's only in this construction that we do this.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello soniariverofdez,
We use the past to express hypotehtical or unreal situations. I don't know if you know Spanish or not, but if you do, it's similar in Spanish -- '... que la gente no pusiera ...'
The same is true of expressions with 'if only'.
Hope this helps.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Farhad,
Yes, this is correct. When 'be' follows the word 'if' or the verb 'wish', it is grammatically correct to say things like 'if I were', 'I wish he were', 'she wishes she were' and 'if it were'. When we use the past simple in this way, we aren't speaking about the past, but rather about a hypothetical situation or hope.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team