Wishes: 'wish' and 'if only'

Do you know how to use wish and if only to talk about things you would like to change? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how wish and if only are used.

That guy is so annoying! I wish he'd stop talking.
I wish I lived closer to my family.
If only I hadn't lost her phone number. She must think I'm so rude for not calling her.
I wish they wouldn't park their car in front of my house.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1: 'wish' and 'if only': Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

We use wish and if only to talk about things that we would like to be different in either the present or the past. If only is usually a bit stronger than wish.

In the present

We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation we would like to be different.

I wish you didn't live so far away.
If only we knew what to do.
He wishes he could afford a holiday.

In the past

We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about something we would like to change about the past.

They wish they hadn't eaten so much chocolate. They're feeling very sick now.
If only I'd studied harder when I was at school.

Expressing annoyance

We can use wish + would(n't) to show that we are annoyed with what someone or something does or doesn't do. We often feel that they are unlikely or unwilling to change.

I wish you wouldn't borrow my clothes without asking.
I wish it would rain. The garden really needs some water.
She wishes he'd work less. They never spend any time together.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2: 'wish' and 'if only': Grammar test 2

Try another grammar lesson

Language level

B2 Upper intermediate

I wish people _____ loud music on the train. What's wrong with using headphones?! It´s talking about present I think in the second part of the sentences. So, why not used past?? I'm starving. If obly there was a resaturant open now. Why not use "would be" instead?? If only he were here now. he'd know what to do. Why not would be??? thanks

Hello soniariverofdez,

We use the past to express hypotehtical or unreal situations. I don't know if you know Spanish or not, but if you do, it's similar in Spanish -- '... que la gente no pusiera ...'

The same is true of expressions with 'if only'.

Hope this helps.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

I wish you would... ;)

In grammer test 1 "I wish he "were"?. Does were go with "he"

Hello Farhad,

Yes, this is correct. When 'be' follows the word 'if' or the verb 'wish', it is grammatically correct to say things like 'if I were', 'I wish he were', 'she wishes she were' and 'if it were'. When we use the past simple in this way, we aren't speaking about the past, but rather about a hypothetical situation or hope.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Thank you very much for this exercise. Helped me a lot.

Which is the right answer? I wish sports cars [weren't _ wouldn't be] expensive.

Hello aymanme2,

'weren't' is the correct answer here -- it expresses an unreal situation. It's 'unreal' because it's not real, that is, sports cars are in fact expensive.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello again, Mr and thank you so much. I do have another question I came across: I wish mum.........(hadn't whistled // didn't whistle) while she was doing the washing up. I think the answer is 'hadn't whistled' as it expresses a wish of a past action. Mom whistled while she was doing the washing up. However, I think if the sentence was "I wish mom WOULDN'T WHISTLE / DIDN'T WHISTLE ___while SHE IS doing the washing up", it would be fine to express a present wish for a present habit r action. Am I right?

Hello aymanme2,

Yes, that's correct. Well done! It looks as if you understand this very well.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Wishes: 'wish' and 'if only'

Grammar explanation

In the present

In the past

Expressing annoyance

Language level

Online courses