I wish /if only

Usage

100

We can use wish + ________ to talk about things that we would like to be different in the present or future (but which are very unlikely or impossible

past simple

200

We can use wish + _______to talk about things that happened in the past and that we regret (we would have wanted them to be different).

past perfect

300

We can use wish + person/thing +______ + infinitive when we talk about situations that annoy us and we would like them to change, or to stop.

would

400

 
We can use if only instead of I wish to mean the same. The only difference is that if only is more _____.

  emphatic

500

When we use wish followed by a verb in the ______ form, wish means the same as want, but it is more formal.

 to-infinitive form

Change

100

I want to speak with Mr. Smith 

I wish to speak with Mr. Smith

200

I regret that I don't know Chinese 

I wish I knew Chinese

300

James is constantly smoking in our kitchen! 

I wish James would stop smoking in our kitchen!

400

I regret marrying Susan

I wish I hadn't married Susan 

500

It's a shame the way he talked to her

I wish he hadn't talked to her that way 

Translate

100

Ojalá pudiera conducir un coche

I wish I could drive a car

200

Deseo visitarte en verano, si es posible.

I wish to visit you in the summer, if possible

300

Ojalá dejara de tomar mis cosas sin permiso

I wish she would stop taking my things without permission

400

Я жалею, что не сходил на их концерт в прошлом году. 

I wish I had gone to their concert last year. 

500

Si hubiera sido más amable con ella, ahora no estaría tan molesta.

If only I had been kinder to her she wouldn't be so upset now

Fill in the gaps

100

4    If only I ____ more time for my hobbies. (have)

4    If only I had more time for my hobbies.

200

I wish it ________ more often in Valencia. (rain)

I wish it would rain/ rained  more often in Valencia.

300

I wish Samantha ___ her hair more often. It looks so greasy all the time. (wash)

I wish Samantha would wash her hair more often. It looks so greasy all the time.

400

I wish I _______ her she'd put on weight. She hates me now. (tell NEGATIVE)

I wish I hadn't told her she'd put on weight. She hates me now.

500

If only I _______  there, I wouldn't have got a fine. (park NEGATIVE)

If only I hadn't parked there, I wouldn't have got a fine.