lingua house

TM

Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

I wish, If only
Lesson code: DL7B-L6SB-A42X-2 INTERMEDIATE +

1 Presentation
We use I wish ... and If only ... when we regret something or when we would like something to be different
than the way it is.

I wish I knew her name. If only I knew her name.

(= I don't know her name and I regret this.)
After I wish and if only, we use a past tense (I knew) to refer to an imaginary or hypothetical situation in
the present. The meaning is not past.
If only I had a bigger house. (I don't have a big house now)
I wish you weren't so angry all the time.
Do you wish you lived in another country?
When we regret something that happened in the past we use the structure I wish / If only + past perfect.
I wish you had called me yesterday. If only you had called me yesterday.
(= you didn't call me yesterday and I regret this)
I wish I hadn't gone out last night.
If only you had come to my party last weekend.
Do you wish you hadn't told him?

Things to remember
After I wish and If only we can say were/weren't instead of was/wasn't:
I wish I was home now. I wish I were home now.
If we wish something to be different in the future we can use wish or if only with would:
I wish he would stop talking!
We can say 'd instead of had or would:
I wish I'd stayed (= had stayed) at home. I wish he'd stop (= would stop) talking.
If only is usually stronger than I wish.

Dialogue
A: I wish Tom was here. The party isn't the same without him.
B: But he's coming.
A: Ahh, if only you'd told me that earlier!
LE

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 1/3

AB

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT
 lingua house
TM
I wish, If only
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

2 Practice 1
Look at the `unpleasant' situations below. Write a sentence with `I wish ...' like in the example.

1. You don't live in a hot country. I wish I lived in a hot country.

2. Your best friend isn't here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. You are not tall enough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. You can't sing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. You don't have internet access. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. You are stuck in traffic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. You don't have any coffee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. You live in a noisy district. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9. It is very cold today. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 Practice 2 - Wish/If only + would

There are many situations in Mary's life which she would like to be different in the future. Read the
situations below and complete her thoughts with `would'/`wouldn't', using the following ideas.

calm down not arrive late not eat junk food

quit his job stay at home stop arguing
stop raining turn down the music use air conditioning

1. Her brother worries too much and gets emotional too easily. "I wish he would calm down ."
2. The cafe where she goes to have a coffee and read a book is very loud.
"I wish they . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
3. Her best friends can never agree on anything.
"If only they . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
4. The office where she works is always very hot in the summer.
"I wish they . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in the summer."
5. She often wants to go out, but the weather is usually bad.
"If only it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . so much!"
6. Her best friend has been complaining about his job for years.
"I wish he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
7. Her boyfriend goes out with his friends too much.
"I wish he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . more often."
8. Her sister Kate has been putting on weight.
"If only she . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . all the time."
9. Her boyfriend is never on time.
"I wish he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . all the time."
LE

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 2/3

AB

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT
 lingua house
TM
I wish, If only
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

4 Practice 3 - Past regrets

Imagine that you are in the situations below and you regret them. Complete your thoughts:

1. You told your friend Mark about your secret. Now everybody knows.
"If only I hadnt told Mark about my secret ."
2. You lost your credit card.
"I wish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
3. When you were younger, you didn't learn any foreign languages.
"I wish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
4. You invited your crazy friend Sam to your birthday party. That was a big mistake.
"If only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
5. You forgot to set your alarm clock. You woke up very late and missed an important meeting.
"I wish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
6. You ate too much and now you are feeling a little sick.
"I wish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
7. You did not study hard enough for your exams.
"If only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
8. You didn't lock your car. Somebody stole it.
"If only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . !"
LE

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 3/3

AB

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT