I hope & wish - GE 9 - 8

A. I wish …

- To talk about imaginary situations in the present or the future.

- Often used to talk about the opposite to what is true or real.

- Ex:

I wish I had my own car.

(I don’t have my own car, but I would like to)

wish	Note
+ Past Simple	To make wishes about states. ex: - I wish I knew where she was.
+ Past Continuous	To make wishes about action in progress now or refer to a future event. ex: - I really wish you were coming to the gig. (the gig is in the future). - I wish it weren’t raining. (it is raining now).
+ could + infinitive	To make wishes about abilities and possibilities. ex: - I just wish we could get a recording contract.
+ would + infinitive	a. To make wishes about things other people, organization, etc do that we would like to change. b. Often used to show annoyance or impatience about things that are outside our control. ex: - I wish you would stop talking about the accident.
	Cannot  use to talk about ourselves. ex: I wish I would have had a job.

We can say I wish or If only:

- I wish we could get a recording contract.

- If only we could get a recording contract.

Often use second conditional to give reason for wishes :

If I didn’t have to go work, I would help you.

We can say : I wish + S + was/were

a. I wish I was a few years younger.

b. I wish I were a few years younger.

wish	Note
+ Past Perfect Simple	a. To make wishes about past. b. To express regret and are often the opposite of what really happened. ex: - I wish I had not taken 5 at the same time. - She took 5 dogs out and they fought. She regrets it now.

= should / shouldn’t have + past participle

Talk about regrets in the past.

- I shouldn’t have worried about anything.

  (Lucy did worry. She regrets that.)

Use third conditional for regrets:

- If I had known about this before, I would have done it years ago.

I wish or If only to make wishes about the past.

I wish I had been there.

= If only I had been there.

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B. I hope

I hope	Example
To talk about things that we want to happen in the future.	I hope she comes home.
Is followed by a clause.	I hope they enjoy themselves.
is often followed by will + infinitive	I hope he will understand.
to talk about the past	I hope you didn’t tell him what happened.

Comparation	Example	Note
This is a real possibility.	I hope she comes home.	The speaker thinks she might come home.
This is an imaginary situation.	I wish she had come home.	The speaker doesn’t think she will come home.