i wish / if only

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ESL forum > Ask for help > i wish / if only

i wish / if only

sebas555

i wish / if only

hi there!!

I have a doubt about this.

mary�s husband doesn`t have a good job.

which are the rules?

28 May 2009

Nabila Manzur

Hi Sebas!

this is the rule:

if you want to refer to present and future + simple past

if you want to refer to past + past perfect

if you want to refer to things that are beyond our control + would

28 May 2009

Cyn.

Hope this helps sebas555...
I presented it on my last lesson, so here is the explanantion I gave.

We use �I wish / If only� to express a wish.

+ Past Simple / Past Continuous

Use: to say that we would like sth to be different about a present situation

I wish I was rich. (but I am not)

If only I were going to the beach. (but I am not)

+ could + infinitive

Use: regret in the present concerning lack of ability

I wish I could live in the USA. (but I don�t)

+ Past Perfect

Use: to express regret about sth that happened or didn�t happen in the past

I wish I had finished the housework. (but I didn�t)

If only she hadn�t told me to leave her alone. (but she did)

+ subject + would + infinitive

Use: to express a polite imperative, a desire for a situation or a behavior to change

I wish you would stop smoking.

If only it would stop raining.

Therefore, I would say: If only / I wish Mary �s husband had a job

(you would like this present situation to be different)

28 May 2009

sebas555

thx a lot naby and Cyn!

but i wonder

can i say ? she wishes he had a ood job ?

or it is only for the first person????

28 May 2009

Cyn.

Yes, totally....
she wishes he had a job is correct
See you!
Cyn

28 May 2009

MissMelissa12

Three ways we can express that desire:

She wishes he had a job. ---> ( We use this structure when the person wants his/her situation or the situation of other to be different.: he does not have a job in the present. )

She wishes he would have a job. ---> This steucture is used to talk about wishes someone has for other people. Never used wiht I or We

She thinks: "If Only he had a job! "--> This structure expresses a stronger desire, often used with an exclamation mark

Miss Melissa.

29 May 2009