Wish &amp; If Only

Past Perfect Transformation

medium

Transform past regrets into wish + past perfect

20 questions • 15 min

Would Transformation

medium

Transform complaints about behavior into wish + would

20 questions • 15 min

Gap-Fill Basics

easy

Complete sentences using wish + past simple/perfect/would

20 questions • 10 min

Gap-Fill Advanced

medium

More challenging wish/if only gap-fill with subtle contexts

20 questions • 12 min

Mixed Transformation - Easy

easy

All three structures mixed with clear context clues

20 questions • 15 min

Mixed Transformation - Intermediate

medium

Mixed structures with subtle context clues

20 questions • 18 min

Mixed Transformation - Advanced

hard

Exam-style mixed practice for B2-C1 learners

20 questions • 20 min

What does "wish" and "if only" mean in English grammar?

"Wish" and "if only" are used to express desires for situations to be different from reality. They show dissatisfaction with the present, regret about the past, or frustration with other people's behavior. "If only" is simply a more emphatic and emotional version of "wish".

Present Wishes

Wish + past simple

"I wish I had more time."

Past Regrets

Wish + past perfect

"I wish I had studied harder."

Complaints

Wish + would

"I wish you would listen."

Wish and If Only Structures - All Three Forms Explained

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When do you use each wish structure?

The choice between past simple, past perfect, and would depends on what you're expressing: a present situation you want different, a past action you regret, or someone's behavior that annoys you. The tense you use tells the listener which type of wish you're making.

Present Situations (wish + past simple)

When you want your current situation to be different. The past tense is used but it refers to NOW.

"I wish I knew the answer." (I don't know it now)

Past Regrets (wish + past perfect)

When you regret something that happened (or didn't happen) in the past. You cannot change it now.

"I wish I had studied harder." (I didn't study hard)

Annoying Behavior (wish + would)

When you're frustrated with someone's behavior or external situations and want change.

"I wish you would stop smoking." (Your smoking annoys me)

When to Use Wish - Present, Past, and Behavior

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How do you form sentences with wish and if only?

Each wish structure follows a specific pattern. The key is understanding that past tense after "wish" doesn't mean past time - it creates the "unreal" or hypothetical mood. Here are the three main patterns:

Purpose	Structure	Example
Present wishes	wish/if only + past simple	I wish I had a car.
Past regrets	wish/if only + past perfect	I wish I had bought that house.
Complaints	wish/if only + would + infinitive	I wish you would help me.

Remember: Use "were" (not "was") for all subjects in formal English: "I wish I were taller", "She wishes she were here". However, "was" is acceptable in informal spoken English.

Why can't I say "I wish I would"?

"Wish + would" is specifically for complaining about OTHER people's behavior or external situations - not your own. You cannot wish about your own willingness because you control your own actions. Instead, use "wish + could" or "wish + past simple" for yourself.

Wrong

✗I wish I would speak French.
✗I wish I would have more patience.
✗I wish I would be taller.

Correct

✓I wish I could speak French.
✓I wish I had more patience.
✓I wish I were taller.

When "wish + would" IS correct:

✓"I wish you would listen to me." (Other person)
✓"I wish it would stop raining." (External situation)
✓"I wish they would be quieter." (Other people)

What are the most common mistakes with wish?

Students often make predictable errors when using wish structures. The most common mistakes involve using the wrong tense, using "would" incorrectly, and confusing wish with hope. Here are the top errors to avoid:

Using present tense after wish

✗ "I wish I have more time."→✓ "I wish I had more time."

Using "will" instead of "would"

✗ "I wish he will call me."→✓ "I wish he would call me."

Using "I wish I would"

✗ "I wish I would be rich."→✓ "I wish I were rich."

Using past simple for past regrets

✗ "I wish I studied harder last year."→✓ "I wish I had studied harder last year."

Confusing wish with hope

✗ "I wish you will pass your exam."→✓ "I hope you will pass your exam."

Common Wish Mistakes - Top 5 Errors to Avoid

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What is the difference between "wish" and "hope"?

"Wish" is for unreal or impossible situations - things that are NOT true now or CANNOT change. "Hope" is for real possibilities - things that MIGHT happen in the future. This is why "wish" uses past tenses (to show unreality) while "hope" uses present or future tenses (for real possibilities).

WISH (Unreal)	HOPE (Real Possibility)
"I wish I were rich." (I'm not rich)	"I hope I get the job." (It's possible)
"I wish it weren't raining." (It IS raining)	"I hope it doesn't rain." (Tomorrow)
"I wish I had studied." (I didn't)	"I hope I passed." (Waiting for results)

Quick test: Can it possibly happen? If YES → use "hope". If NO (unreal/impossible) → use "wish".

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

Grammar explanations and research cited on this page:

•
Cambridge Grammar of English - Reference for wish/if only structures, tense usage, and the subjunctive mood in conditional sentences.Cambridge Dictionary
•
Swan, M. (2016) - Practical English Usage, 4th Edition. Oxford University Press. Standard reference for the "wish + would" rule and common learner errors.
•
British National Corpus (BNC) - Corpus analysis showing frequency of wish structures in native speaker usage and common collocation patterns.

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