Notes

© We can use wish + past tense [[to talk about our situation right now. Even though we use the past tense, we are NOT talking about the past. For example:]]

• I wish I had a car. [[(In reality, I don’t have a car now, but I want one).]]

• I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow. [[(In reality, I have to work tomorrow, but I don’t want to).]]

• I wish I were tall. [[(In reality, I’m short, but I want to be tall).]]

• I wish I could play the piano. [[(In reality, I can’t play the piano, but I want to).]]


© When we use wish + past perfect tense, [[we are talking about regrets we have from the past. For example:]]

• I wish I hadn’t gone to the party. [](In reality, I went to the party, and now I regret it).]]

• I wish I had studied harder in school. [[(In reality, I didn’t study hard in school, and now I regret it).]]

• I wish I hadn’t gotten drunk in front of my boss. [[(In reality, I got drunk in front of my boss, and now I regret it).]]

• I wish I had gone to bed earlier last night. [[(In reality, I didn’t go to bed early last night, and now I regret it).]]

© We can use wish + would + verb [[to talk about situations that often happen in our lives that we don’t like. For example:]]

• I wish my husband would help me clean the house. [[(In reality, my husband never helps me clean the house, and I don’t like it).]]

• I wish my children wouldn’t play their music so loudly.[[(In reality, my children play their music very loudly, and I don’t like it).]]

© We can also use wish + noun [[to talk about things that we desire for other people. In these cases, the meaning of  “wish” is more similar to “hope”. This way of using “wish”, however, is much less common that the other ways. For example:]]

• We wish you a merry Christmas. [[(The meaning is: We hope you have a merry Christmas).]]

• Wish me luck on my exam. [[(The meaning is: Please hope that I have good luck on my exam).]]

• I wish you health and happiness. [[(The meaning is: I hope you have health and happiness).]]

© Finally, we can use wish + the infinitive form of a verb (this is means “to” + the base form). In these cases, the meaning of “wish” has the same meaning as “want”, but it is more formal. For example:

• I wish to see your boss right away.

• We don’t have a table available right now. Do you wish to wait?

• If you wish to have more information, please let me know.