Conditionals with I wish, Would, and If Only

I wish is a phrase used to express a desire for something that is not currently true or likely to happen.

It is often used in conditional statements to convey hypothetical situations or regrets about the past.

The structure typically involves I wish followed by a past tense verb or a past perfect tense verb.

Present Unreal Conditionals:

I wish I had (past indefinite) more free time to spend with my family.

This sentence expresses a desire for more free time, which is currently not the case.

Past unreal conditionals:

I wish I had studied (past perfect) harder for the exam.

Here, the speaker regrets not studying harder in the past, as it might have resulted in a better outcome for the exam.

Future unreal conditionals:

I wish I could travel (could + base form) the world someday.

This statement expresses a desire or hope for future possibilities, such as travelling the world.

Unfulfilled Wishes or Unrealistic Desires:

I wish I could have attended (could + present perfect) the concert last night.

The speaker expresses regret about not being able to attend the concert, which took place in the past.

Construction of sentences with I wish:

To construct sentences using I wish, follow these steps:

Identify the desire or regret you want to express.

Use the phrase I wish, followed by a verb tense that corresponds to the timing of the desired or regretted situation.

Formulate the rest of the sentence to complete the thought logically.

I wish in sentences:

Expressing a desire for a present situation:

I wish I had had more time to relax.

I wish I could speak fluent French.

Expressing regret about a past situation:

I wish I hadn’t eaten so much cake yesterday.

I wish I had studied harder for the exam.

Expressing a hope or desire for a future situation:

I wish I could travel the world someday.

I wish I would win the lottery.

Expressing a hypothetical situation or condition:

I wish I were taller.

I wish I were a better dancer.

Expressing a wish for someone else’s behaviour or actions:

I wish you wouldn’t interrupt me while I’m speaking.

I wish they would listen to my advice.

By following these steps and considering the timing and context of the desired or regretted situation, you can effectively use I wish to express various thoughts and emotions in sentences.

I wish and would:

I wish and would serve different grammatical functions and convey different meanings, but they can be used together in certain contexts.

I wish:

I wish is used to express desires, regrets, or hypothetical situations that are not currently true.

It is often followed by a past-tense verb or a modal verb to indicate the desired or regretted situation.

Example: I wish I had more time to spend with my family.

Would:

Would is a modal verb used to indicate a conditional action or a future action in the past.

It can also be used to express polite requests, preferences, habitual actions in the past, or hypothetical situations.

Example: If I had more time, I would travel the world.

Difference:

I wish expresses a desire or regret about a situation, while would indicates a conditional action or future possibility.

I wish focuses on the speaker’s feelings or desires, whereas I would focuses on the hypothetical outcome or action.

Similarity:

Both I wish and would can be used to express hypothetical situations or desires.

They can be used together in sentences to convey a hypothetical or desired outcome.

Example: I wish you would listen to me.

Would in the main part (Second and Third Conditionals):

Second Conditional:

If I won the lottery, I would buy a mansion.

This statement presents an unreal situation (winning the lottery) and the hypothetical action the speaker would take if that situation occurred (buying a mansion).

Third Conditional:

If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

This sentence reflects a past, unreal situation (not studying harder) and the hypothetical outcome that could have happened if the situation were different (passing the exam).

I wish in the main part (second and third conditionals):

Second Conditional:

I wish I were taller. If I were taller, I would be able to reach the top shelf.

This statement expresses a desire or regret regarding the speaker’s height (present unreal), and the hypothetical action that could result if the situation were different (being able to reach the top shelf).

Third Conditional:

I wish I had invested in that company. If I had invested, I would have made a profit.

Here, the speaker expresses regret about not investing in the past (past unreal) and the hypothetical outcome that could have occurred if the situation had been different (making a profit).

I wish and if only in conditionals:

Expressing Regret or Desire (Present Unreal Conditionals):

I wish I had more free time to spend with my family.

The speaker expresses a desire for more free time, which is currently not the case.

If only I were more confident, I would apply for that job.

The speaker regrets not being confident enough to apply for the job, expressing a hypothetical outcome if the situation were different.

Expressing Regret or Desire (Past Unreal Conditionals):

I wish I had gone to bed earlier last night. I wouldn’t be so tired now.

The speaker expresses regret about not going to bed earlier in the past, imagining a different outcome in the present if the action had been taken.

If only I had listened to your advice, I wouldn’t be in this mess.

The speaker regrets not listening to the advice in the past and reflects on the possible avoidance of the current situation if they had followed the advice.

Expressing a Wish for the Future (Future Unreal Conditionals):

I wish I could travel the world someday.

The speaker expresses a desire or hope for future possibilities, such as travelling the world.

If only I could speak fluent Spanish, I would be able to communicate with more people.

The speaker expresses a desire to speak fluent Spanish in the future and imagines the benefits that would come with it.

Both I wish and If only are used to express desires, regrets, or hypothetical situations, with I wish being more commonly used in everyday language.