1. Wish and if only It´s time Would rather/would sooner
Unit 3 Grammar
Wish and if only
It´s time
Would rather/would sooner
María Sacristán Moya
María Villarreal Pérez 1ºC

2. Wish and if only
General state in the PRESENT or a usual and regular event or habit:
Wish/if only + PAST SIMPLE
Ex.: He wishes he was a photographer
If only we had longer holidays

3. Wish or regret about the PAST by saying how we would like the past to be different:
Wish/ if only + PAST PERFECT
Ex.: I wish I had trained as a doctor instead of as a teacher
If only she had studied for her exams

4. Wishes for the FUTURE:
Wish/if only + WOULD/COULD/MIGHT
Ex.: I wish/if only you would come to the party
*Usually HOPE is used instead of I wish to talk about the future.
Ex.: I hope you come to the party

5. To complain about someone´s behaviour:
Wish/if only + WOULD
Ex.: I wish/if only the children would be quiet during the lesson

6. Past, present or future. Very formal, to mean want + infinitive:
Wish + infinitive
Ex. Past: Napoleón wished to keep his plans a secret.
Ex. Present: Please be quiet. The Director wishes to talk.
Ex. Future: I´m sure she will wish to thank you for your gift.

7. It´s time It´s time + infinitive Ex.: It´s time to go home now
It´s time for + object + infinitive
Ex.: It´s time for us to go home now
It´s time + subject+ past simple (a little more formal)
Ex.: It´s time we went home now

8. It´s time + subject + past continuous (more colloquial)
Ex.: It´s time we were going home now
It´s about/high time + subject + past simple
Ex.: It´s about time we went home
It´s high time we went home

9. Would rather/would sooner
Preference about a general situation or possible future situation
Would rather/sooner + infinitive
Ex.: I´d sooner work mornings than evening
I´d rather/sooner travel than go to university

10. Preference for another person to do or not to do sth. in the future
Preference for another person to do or not to do sth. in the future. Past simple is more formal than present simple.
Would rather/sooner + subject + present simple/past simple
Ex.: I´d rather she works than does nothing
Ex.: He´d sooner you didn´t tell anyone

11. Preference for one situation in the past over another
Would rather/sooner + have + past participle
Ex.: When I was young, I´d rather have been a doctor than a photographer

12. Wish or preference that actions/events in the PAST were different.
Would rather/sooner + subject + past perfect
Ex. I´d rather/sooner you had asked me before you borrowed the car yesterday.

13. EXERCISES
If only you __________ (not watch) television while I´m reading
I wish I _________ (buy) that old house
I wish they ________ (have) more books in the library
I wish he _________ (play) the piano as a professional very soon.
wouldn´t watch
had bought
had
would play

14. I´d rather you ________ ( do not smoke) in here
I´d rather ______ (be) a sailor than a soldier
I´d sooner you _________ (listen) to me
I´d rather ____________ (buy) a television than an MP3
didn´t smoke be
had listened
have bought

15. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION