Level: intermediate
Wishes
We use the verb wish or the phrase if only to talk about things which we want but which are not possible:
I wish I could see you next week.
If only we could stop for a drink.
I wish we had a bigger house.
They are always busy. If only they had more time.
John was very lazy at school. Now he wishes he had worked harder.
We use wish and if only with past tense forms:
- We use past tense modals would and could to talk about wishes for the future:
I don't like my work. I wish I could get a better job.
That's a dreadful noise. I wish it would stop.
I always have to get home early. If only my parents would let me stay out later.
- We use past simple and continuous to talk about wishes for the present:
I don't like this place. I wish I lived somewhere more interesting.
These seats are very uncomfortable. I wish we were travelling first class.
I wish I was taller.
John wishes he wasn't so busy.
I'm freezing. If only it wasn't so cold.
- After I/he/she/it, we can use were instead of was:
I wish I was/were taller.
John wishes he wasn't/weren't so busy.
I'm freezing. If only it wasn't/weren't so cold.
- We use the past perfect to talk about wishes for the past:
I wish I had worked harder when I was at school.
Mary wishes she had listened to what her mother told her.
I wish I hadn’t spent so much money last month.
- Wishes 1
- Wishes 2
Hypotheses (things we imagine)
Expressions
When we are talking about hypotheses, we use expressions like:
| what if ... ? | in case | suppose (that) | supposing (that) | imagine (if/that) |
We use these expressions:
- with present tense forms to talk about the present or future if we think something is likely to be true or to happen:
We should phone them in case they are lost.
Those steps are dangerous. Suppose someone has an accident.
- with past tense forms to talk about the present or future to suggest something is not likely to be true or to happen:
Imagine you won the lottery. What would you do with the money?
What if he lost his job? What would happen then?
- with the past perfect to talk about things in the past which did not happen:
Suppose you hadn't passed your exams. What would you have done?
What if he had lost his job? What would his wife have said?
Modal verbs
We use modals would and could for a hypothesis about the present or future:
We can't all stay in a hotel. It would be very expensive.
Drive carefully or you could have an accident.
We use would in the main clause and the past tense in a subordinate clause for a hypothesis about the present or future:
I would always help someone who really needed help.
I would always help someone if they really needed it.
We use modals with have to talk about something that did not happen in the past:
I didn't see Mary, or I might have spoken to her.
It's a pity Jack wasn't at the party. He would have enjoyed it.
Why didn't you ask me? I could have told you the answer.
We use would have in the main clause and the past perfect in a subordinate clause to talk about something that did not happen in the past:
I would have helped anyone who had asked me.
I would have helped you if you had asked me.
- Hypotheses 1
- Hypotheses 2
Comments
Ok sir,
How to know whether a particular sentence is correct or incorrect....i mean any trick how native speakers form long sentences...thank you sir
Hello Kamil
Part of being a native speaker of a language is having the sense for whether a sentence is grammatical or not. There are different theories about how it is that native speakers have this ability, but in any case, it takes years of listening and reading other people use the language. I'd suggest you read and listen to English as much as you can, and, if possible, get the help of a teacher, who can speed up the process for you.
I'm afraid we don't provide that kind of support here. Our comments section is a space where users can ask questions about what's on our pages. We occasionally also answer very specific questions about language related to what's on our pages, but this is not a space for private tuition.
All the best
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
I wish to look as cute as i was in my childhood ....
Is that grammatically correct...
Suggest other way to write this sentence..please
Hello Kamil,
It's hard to be sure without knowing exactly what you want to say, but here are two possibilities:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Sir... why have u used did ...please explain
Hello Kamil,
'Did' is used here to avoid repeating 'looked' twice in the same sentence:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Oh thanks...indeed, there is no English teacher like you ...thnks
I wish it would stop raining.
I wish it was not raining.
Sir, what's the difference between these two
Hello Kamil
There is no real difference in meaning in most contexts. Native speakers often use 'will' or 'would' to express the idea of willingness, that is, whether someone wants to do something. In this and many other cases, 'would' is used in this way even though its subject is not a person or even a living being -- it's as if we are imagining that nature or a god wants it to rain and that's why it's raining.
The second sentence expresses the idea that we wish things were different, but without the idea of there being a reason for it.
Does that make sense?
All the best
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Sir
I wrote to you about this a few minutes ago. That is ' I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any subject.' That was the founder's motto for ... Please let me know the following is right. That is ' I would have found an institution where any person could find instruction in any subject.' Is this what the writer mean? 'wishes and hypothesis'
Please let me know.
Thank you.
Regards
Lal
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