1. A FEW NOTES ON WISHES
CLAIRE WALLIS

2. FACT
WHENEVER SOMETHING IS “UNREAL” IN ENGLISH (BE THAT, IMAGINARY, HYPOTHETICAL, UNREAL), WE TAKE A GRAMMATICAL STEP BACK.
THIS HAPPENS IN
THE 2°, 3° AND MIXED CONDITIONAL
WISHES
REPORTED SPEECH

3. REMEMBER THE SECOND CONDITIONAL IF + PAST, WOULD + INFINITIVE
THE THIRD CONDITIONAL
IF + PAST PERFECT, WOULD + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE
THE MIXED CONDITIONAL
IS A COMBINATION OF THE 2° AND 3° IN ANY ORDER.

4. WISHES WISHES FOR THE PRESENT I WISH/IF ONLY + PAST
WISH YOU WERE HERE (PINK FLOYD).
I WISH I HAD MORE FREE TIME.
I WISH I WERE LYING ON A BEACH.
IF ONLY I WERE RICH.
Remember what happens to the verb to be in the second conditional, the same applies here. We can use WAS/WERE for all persons but WERE sounds better.

5. WISHES WISHES FOR THE PAST I WISH/IF ONLY + PAST PERFECT
I WISH I HAD STUDIED ITALIAN AT UNIVERSITY.
I WISH I HADN’T SPENT ALL MY MONEY.
IF ONLY I HAD STUDIED HARDER BEFORE MY EXAMS.
If only is the same as I wish. The only difference is that it offers more emphasis.

6. WISHES WISHES FOR FUTURE/ABILITY I WISH + COULD
I WISH I COULD SING (ABILITY).
I WISH I COULD GO ON HOLIDAY NEXT WEEK (FUTURE).
It could also be used to have a past meaning if constructed with have and the past participle.
I WISH I COULD HAVE MET HIM BEFORE HE DIED.

7. WISHES
WISHES FOR SOMETHING OUT OF YOUR CONTROL. OFTEN USED TO EXPRESS SOMETHING THAT ANNOYS YOU.
I WISH (OTHER SUBJECT – NOT FIRST PERSON) + WOULD
I WISH MY GOVERNMENT WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT.
I WISH MY BOYFRIEND WOULD PICK UP HIS SOCKS.

8. WISHES/HOPE
A WISH IS UNREAL. THEREFORE, WE ALWAYS STEP BACK. HOPE IS REAL. SO WE STEP FORWARD.
YOU HAVE TAKEN THE EXAM MANY TIMES AND HAVE NEVER PASSED.
YOU SAY: I WISH I COULD PASS THE EXAM.
YOU HAVE NEVER TAKEN THE EXAM.
YOU SAY: I HOPE I CAN PASS/ I HOPE I PASS/ I HOPE I WILL PASS.