Wish
What does the verb "wish" communicate?
It communicates that we would like things to be different from how they are now or were in the past.
"They aren’t here now." How would you express this situation using "wish"?
I wish they were here now.
"We’re not on holiday now." Use "wish" to express a desire for the present situation to be different.
We wish we were on holiday now.
"He doesn’t have a car." How can you use "wish" to express what he wants?
He wishes he had a car.
"She isn’t very good at cooking." Use "wish" to show her desire to improve.
She wishes she were better at cooking.
"I’m not at home right now." Use "wish" to express your desire to be home.
I wish I were at home right now.
"We didn’t see the movie last weekend." Use "wish" to express regret.
We wish we had seen the movie last weekend.
"It’s Monday and I have to work." How can you express what many people might wish for in this situation?
I wish it were still the weekend.
"He can’t speak Japanese." How would he express this with "wish"?
He wishes he could speak Japanese.
"It’s cold today." Use "wish" to express a desire for warmer weather.
I wish it were warmer today.
“I can’t swim.” Use "wish" to express this person's desire.
I wish I could swim.
What tense do we use after “wish” when we are talking about the present?
We use the past simple tense.
What tense do we use after "wish" when we are talking about the past?
We use the past perfect tense.
If someone says, "I wish I lived in Paris," what can you understand from this?
They don’t live in Paris, but they want to.
"I didn’t visit my grandmother last month." Use "wish" to express your regret.
I wish I had visited my grandmother last month.
"My boss scheduled a meeting on a Friday afternoon." Use "wish" to express how you feel about it.
I wish my boss hadn’t scheduled a meeting on Friday afternoon.
"She’s working late again." How can you express her desire using "wish"?
She wishes she weren’t working late again.
"I didn’t win the Mega Sena lottery last week." How would you express your (and everyone's) regret?
I wish I had won the Mega Sena lottery last week!
What must we remember about the tense of any verb that follows "wish"?
The tense of the verb is one step back into the past from the time we are referring to.
"We didn’t finish the project on time." Use "wish" to express what you would like to change.
We wish we had finished the project on time.
It is raining outside." Use "wish" to express how you feel about the rain.
I wish it wasn’t raining.
"She doesn't speak French." How can we use "wish" to express her desire?
She wishes she spoke French.
"He didn’t go to the party last night." How would you express his regret using “wish”?
He wishes he had gone to the party last night.
"I don’t know how to play the piano." How can you express this with "wish"?
I wish I knew how to play the piano.
"They aren’t moving to a new house." How would they express a desire for a new house using "wish"?
They wish they were moving to a new house.