Wishes: 'wish' and 'if only'

Wishes: 'wish' and 'if only'

Do you know how to use wish and if only to talk about things you would like to change? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

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

'wish' and 'if only': 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

'wish' and 'if only': Grammar test 2

Language level

Average: 4.2 (88 votes)

Hi Hanadihkm,

It should be: hadn't accepted (with "-ed"). To show your wish that something in the past was different, the structure is: I wish + past perfect. The past perfect is made of "had" + past participle.

It would also sound natural to add the object too: I wish I hadn't accepted it ...

I hope that helps.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by maribi1 on Sat, 29/04/2023 - 23:40

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Hi, I have a doubt about this sentence:
tonight I really want to watch a movie. If only the television hadn't/hasn't broken!
which one is correct?

Hi maribi1,

The correct form here is 'hadn't broken'.

The phrase 'if only' introduces a counter-factual (the TV is broken) and we signal this by moving the verb form one step into the past, so 'it didn't break' becomes 'it hadn't broken'.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Elena.V.Bondar on Mon, 24/04/2023 - 16:40

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Hello! Could you please help with this sentence: 1) If only I were slimmer than I (am/was/were?) now
or
2) if only I were slimmer than now
Which form is correct?

Hello V.Bondar,

The verb form you need is '...than I am now', but you could omit this as the context makes it easy to understand that you are talking about yourself.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by howtosay_ on Thu, 20/04/2023 - 00:14

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Hello!

Could you please help me with the following: 

Are both options possible:
1. I wish somebody would answer the phone (now; with irritation)
2. I wish somebody answered the phone (now; without irritation) 

As I see, I cannot say "I wish I wouldn't be nervous", but can I say "I wish I weren't nervous instead"? 

I wish I didn't ask so many questions, but I'm very grateful for your important help and thank you for your help with this post beforehand! 

Hello howtosay_,

Both are possible but I think the second one would be quite unusual, and the meaning is not really about irritation.

The first sentence refers to a specific situation: the phone is ringing and you are annoyed (mildly or strongly) that no-one is answering it.

The second sentence has a more general meaning. It suggests that no-one ever answers the phone and you wish that this situation were different. It has the meaning 'Why doesn't anyone ever answer the phone?' or 'Why am I the only one who ever answers the phone?'

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello, Peter!

Thank you very much for your explanation!!! Could you please also clarify if it's possible to say "I wish I weren't nervous", "I wish he weren't nervous" or another grammar structure schould be used?

Hello howtosay_,

Yes, you can say that. These are wishes about the present. If you say 'I wish I weren't nervous' then it implies that your nervousness is out of your control, which makes sense.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team