Line英会話クラス
Lesson Plan July 26, 2024
Topic: I wish & If only
We use I wish … and If only … when we regret something or when we would like something to be different than the way it is.
Section A
I wish I knew her name.
If only I knew her name.
After I wish … and If only …, we use a past tense to refer to an imaginary or hypothetical situations in the present. The meaning is not past.
If only I had a bigger house. (I don’t have a big house now)
I wish you weren’t so angry all the time.
Do you wish you lived in another country?
Section B
When we regret something that happened in the past we use the structure (I wish … / If only …) + past perfect
I wish you had called me yesterday.
If only you had called me yesterday.
= You didn’t call me yesterday and I regret this
I wish I hadn’t gone out last night.
If only you had come to my party last weekend.
Do you wish you hadn’t told him?
Section C: Things to Remeber
After I wish … and If only … we can say (were / weren’t) instead of (was / wasn’t)
I wish I was home now.
I wish I were home now.
If we wish something to be different in the future we can use (I wish … / If only …) + would
I wish he would stop talking!
If only you would study harder!
We can say ‘d instead of had or would
I wish I’d stayed at home. (= had stayed)
I wish he’d stop talking. (= would stop)
Words & Phrases
I need to pick the weeds in my garden, it’s starting to look overgrown. (NOT pick up the weeds)
Some garden tools are outside, can you pick them up and put them away?
The leaves from the neighbour’s tree blew into our yard, do you mind going to pick them up?
Grammar
We use the preposition in for a space that has clear limits or borders around it, and being inside something like a box or room.
The cat is in the garden.
We swam in the pool that is in the park.
I was in the car when it started to rain.
Can you meet me in the shop, I’ll be back in a few minutes.
I wish … and If only …
A wish about the future
She will not tell me.
I wish (that) she would tell me.
He isn’t going to be here.
I wish he were going to be here.
She can’t come tomorrow.
I wish she could come tomorrow
A wish about the present
I don’t know French.
I wish I knew French.
It is raining right now.
I wish it weren’t raining right now.
I can’t speak German.
I wish I could speak German.
A wish about the past
John didn’t come.
I wish John had come.
(Informal) I wish John would have come.
Mary couldn’t come.
I wish Mary could have come.
Using auxiliary verbs
I’m not at home, but I wish I were.
I don’t know her that well, but I wish I did.
I can’t sing well, but I wish I could.
I didn’t go, but I wish I had.
He won’t talk about it, but I wish he would.
I didn’t read that book, but I wish I had.
I want to go, but I can’t. I wish I could.
I don’t have a bicycle, but I wish I did.
He didn’t buy a ticket to the game, but he wishes he had.
She's unable to go to the party, but she wishes she could.
It probably won’t happen, but I wish it would.
He isn’t old enough to drive a car, but he wishes he were.
I don’t have a driver’s license, but I wish I did.
