Wish

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Wish

Wish + (that) + past simple

We can use 'wish' to talk about something that we would like to be different in the present or the future. It's used for things which are impossible or very unlikely.

Examples

I wish that I had a big house

(I don't have a big house, but it's a nice idea!).

I wish that we didn't need to work today

(we do need to work today, unfortunately).

New Year Resolution

Examples

I wish that you lived close by

(you don't live close by).

I wish that John wasn't busy tomorrow*

(he is busy, unfortunately).

Wish + (that) + would

On the other hand, we use 'would' with 'wish' in a little bit of a special way. It's generally used about other people who are doing (or not doing) something that we don't like and we want that person to change. It's not usually used about ourselves, or about something which nobody can change though, exceptionally, we do use it about the weather.

I wish that John wouldn't eat all the chocolate. (John does usually eat all the chocolate and I don't like it. I want him to change his behaviour!)

I wish that the neighbours would be quiet! (They are not quiet and I don't like the noise.)

Wish + (that) + past perfect

We can use 'wish' with the past perfect to talk about regrets from the past. These are things that have already happened but we wish they'd happened in a different way. This use of 'wish' is very similar to the third conditional.

I wish that I had studied harder at school.

(I didn't study hard at school, and now I'm sorry about it.)

I wish that I hadn't eaten so much yesterday!

(But I did eat a lot yesterday. Now I think it wasn't a good idea.)

Wish + to + infinitive

We can use 'wish' with the infinitive to mean 'would like'. This is very formal. We don't usually use a continuous tense with 'wish' in this case.

I wish to speak to the headmaster. (This means the same as 'I would like to speak to the headmaster'.)

I wish to go now.

Wish + object + to + infinitive

In the same way, we can use 'wish' with an object and an infinitive.

I do not wish you to publish this article.

I wish these people to leave.

Wish + somebody + something

This is used mostly in set phrases.

I wished him a happy birthday.

They wished us Merry Christmas.