Use wish somebody something for good wishes, and hope for things that may happen. Use wish + past for present regrets, wish + had done for past regrets, and wish ... would for something you want to happen or change.
A wish somebody luck; hope something happens
We say wish somebody luck / all the best / success / a happy birthday and so on.
We say wish somebody something, but we do not say I wish something happens. For that we use hope.
| Sentence | Pattern |
|---|---|
| We wish you a safe journey home. | wish + person + noun |
| We hope you have a safe journey home. | hope + clause (not |
- We wish you a very happy retirement.
- Grandma rang before my interview and wished me luck.
- Sorry to hear about your back. I hope it gets better soon. (not I wish it gets better)
- We wish you a safe journey home.
- We hope you have a safe journey home. (not We wish you have)
B wish for regret: wish + past, wish + had done
We also use wish to say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it to be.
Used this way, wish takes a past form (knew, lived and so on), though the meaning is present.
For a regret about something that has already happened, we use wish + had known / had said and so on.
Units 39 and 40 cover both patterns in more detail.
- I wish I knew how to fix this. (but I do not know)
- I wish you didn't live so far away. (but you do)
- Do you wish you spoke another language? (you do not)
- Kerry's off to the Lake District next week. I wish I was going too. (but I am not going)
- I wish I'd known it was fancy dress. I'd have dressed up if I'd known. (but I did not know)
- That was a daft thing to tell her. I wish I hadn't told her. (but I told her)
C I wish I could and I wish I could have
I wish I could (do something) means I regret that I cannot do it.
I wish I could have (done something) means I regret that I could not do it.
- It's a shame you're leaving. I wish you could stay for tea. (but you cannot)
- I know that face. I wish I could remember where from. (but I cannot)
- Everyone says the wedding was lovely. I wish I could have been there. (but I could not go)
D I wish ... would
Gareth's neighbour has been drilling since eight o'clock this morning. Gareth says:
I wish he would stop drilling.
Gareth would like the drilling to stop. He has no great confidence that it will.
We use I wish ... would when we would like something to happen or change. It is very often a complaint.
I wish ... wouldn't complains about something that people do again and again.
- I wish he would stop drilling.
- The baby's been crying for an hour. I wish she'd go to sleep.
- I wish you'd (= you would) help with the washing-up instead of just watching.
- I wish you wouldn't leave your socks on the floor. (= please stop leaving them there)
E wish ... would for actions, not for states
We use I wish ... would to say that we want something to happen. We do not use it to say how we would like things to be. For that we use the past.
| Want an action | Want a different state |
|---|---|
| I wish the plumber would come. | I wish the plumber was (or were) here now. (not |
| I wish somebody would fix the heating. | I wish we had central heating. (not |
- I wish the plumber would come. (= I want him to come)
- I wish the plumber was here now. (not I wish the plumber would be here)
- I wish somebody would fix the heating.
- I wish we had central heating. (not I wish we would have)
Exercises
41.1 Put in wish(ed) or hope(d).
wishwishedhopehoped
I wish you a very happy birthday.
I wish you a very happy birthday.
Have a lovely weekend. I the weather stays dry for you.
Have a lovely weekend. I hope the weather stays dry for you.
Goodbye, and thank you for everything. We you all the best in your new home.
Goodbye, and thank you for everything. We wish you all the best in your new home.
The two captains shook hands and each other luck.
The two captains shook hands and wished each other luck.
We're having a barbecue on Saturday, so I it doesn't rain.
We're having a barbecue on Saturday, so I hope it doesn't rain.
Congratulations on getting into college. I you every success.
Congratulations on getting into college. I wish you every success.
Good luck with the move. I everything goes smoothly.
Good luck with the move. I hope everything goes smoothly.
41.2 Complete the sentences.
Ben is going to the cup final on Saturday. I wish I was going too.
Ben is going to the cup final on Saturday. I wish I was going too.
I've got a stinking cold and a mountain of work. I wish I ill this week.
I've got a stinking cold and a mountain of work. I wish I wasn't ill this week.
You didn't tell me it was your birthday. Why not? I wish you me.
You didn't tell me it was your birthday. Why not? I wish you'd told me.
I never have time to read. I wish I more time.
I never have time to read. I wish I had more time.
I can't choose between the two flats. I wish I decide.
I can't choose between the two flats. I wish I could decide.
I bought this coat, but now I don't like it. I wish I it.
I bought this coat, but now I don't like it. I wish I hadn't bought it.
We have to visit my aunt this afternoon, and I'd rather stay in. I wish we go.
We have to visit my aunt this afternoon, and I'd rather stay in. I wish we didn't have to go.
Unfortunately I couldn't get to Callum's leaving do last week. I wish I could .
Unfortunately I couldn't get to Callum's leaving do last week. I wish I could have gone.
41.3 What do you say in each situation? For items 1 to 4, write a sentence with I wish ... would ... . For items 5 to 7, write a sentence with I wish ... wouldn't ... .
It's snowing. You want to drive to your mum's, but not in the snow. You say:
I wish it would stop snowing.
I wish it would stop snowing.
You're waiting for the plumber. He is two hours late and you are getting impatient. You say to yourself: I wish he ...
I wish he would come.
You are trying to sell your car, so far without success. Nobody will buy it. You say: I wish somebody ...
I wish somebody would buy my car.
You can hear a car alarm. It has been going off for a long time and you are trying to work. You say:
I wish that alarm would stop.
Your brother always eats with his mouth open, and you don't like this. You say to him: I wish you ...
I wish you wouldn't eat with your mouth open.
Rosie borrows your clothes without asking all the time. This annoys you. You say to Rosie:
I wish you wouldn't borrow my clothes without asking.
A lot of people park on the pavement in your street. You don't like this. You say: I wish people ...
I wish people wouldn't park on the pavement.
41.4 Put the verb into the correct form.
That was a rude message. I wish I hadn't sent (I / not / send) it.
That was a rude message. I wish I hadn't sent it.
I'm sick of this wind. I wish it would drop (it / drop).
I'm sick of this wind. I wish it would drop.
It's a hard crossword clue. I wish (I / know) the answer.
It's a hard crossword clue. I wish I knew the answer.
The film was dreadful. I wish (we / not / go).
The film was dreadful. I wish we hadn't gone.
I wish (the taxi / come). We've been standing here for half an hour.
I wish the taxi would come. We've been standing here for half an hour.
You're lucky to be going to the coast. I wish (I / can / come) with you.
You're lucky to be going to the coast. I wish I could come with you.
Our garden is tiny. I wish (it / be) a bit bigger.
Our garden is tiny. I wish it was a bit bigger.
I should have listened to the mechanic. I wish (I / take) his advice.
I should have listened to the mechanic. I wish I'd taken his advice.
You keep checking your phone while I'm talking. I wish (you / listen).
You keep checking your phone while I'm talking. I wish you'd listen.
You're always moaning about your job. I wish (you / not / moan) about it all the time.
You're always moaning about your job. I wish you wouldn't moan about it all the time.
It's boiling today. I wish (it / not / be) so hot. I can't stand the heat.
It's boiling today. I wish it wasn't so hot. I can't stand the heat.
I wish (the weather / change). This fog is miserable.
I wish the weather would change. This fog is miserable.
I wish (I / have) a dog. I'd love one.
I wish I had a dog. I'd love one.
When we were in Edinburgh last spring, we didn't have time to see everything we wanted to see. I wish (we / can / stay) there longer.
When we were in Edinburgh last spring, we didn't have time to see everything we wanted to see. I wish we could have stayed there longer.