Content
In the language English, the terms'wish'And'if only' for express wishes or regrets, both in relation to future events and past situations whose resolution did not have the expected or desired outcome.
In short, these are two ways of expressing emotional issues:
- The first ('wish', Translated as'to wish’) Generally indicates longing for the future, when there is still a chance that something will happen the way you want it to.
- The second ('if only', Translated as'if only’) In general acts as a sort of lamentation for what you do not have or could not be.
- In addition to having these special formulas, the English language has the verb ‘hope', what does it mean 'I hope'In the sense of' I have hope '; in fact 'hope’Is also a noun and means‘hope’.
Rules of use of 'wish' Y 'if only’
To apply these structures correctly you have to know some rules.
One of them points out that to refer to wishes still possible to be achieved, the 'wish'Is accompanied by past simple. When the events have already occurred and the outcome is known, the wish that they had been different is materialized by combining 'wish' with past perfect.
In the case of 'if only', It should be noted that there are three options according to the three verb tenses: wishes in past tense (with the verb in past perfect), the wishes in present (with the verb in past simple) and the wishes in future (with the auxiliary 'would' and the verb in infinitive). When faced with questions about the future or expectations, ‘if only’ and ‘I wish’ also function as quite emphatic answers, similar in the sense of ‘hopefully’ in Spanish.
The list of twenty sentences with 'I wish' or 'If only' that follows here exemplifies these uses.
- I wish you wouldn’t arrive so late always. (I wish you weren't always late).
- If only she had listened to what his friends had been telling her. (If only he had heard what his friends were telling him).
- I wish you were here. (I wish you're here).
- I wish it rained more often in Greece. (I wish it rains more often in Greece).
- I wish we could be friends. (I wish that we could be friends).
- If only I had more time for my hobbies. (If only I had more time for my hobbies).
- If only we hadn't bought this printer. (If only we hadn't bought this printer).
- We wish you a Merry Christmas. (We wish you a merry Christmas).
- I wish we could go to the match on Sunday, but we're visiting my mum. (I wish we could go to the game on Sunday, but we will visit my mom).
- They wish us the best in our new jobs. (They wish us the best in our jobs).
- I wish I had seen that film. (I wish I had seen that movie).
- I wish I could fix the computer. (I wish I could fix the computer).
- If only there was something she could do for them. (If only there was something I could do for them).
- If only I had more money! (If only I had more money).
- I wish he would stop calling me "honey". (I wish he would stop calling me 'honey'.)
- If only you didn’t smoke so much. (If only you didn't smoke so much).
- If only it was summer. (If only it was summer).
- I wish you had told me the truth. (I wish i told you the truth).
- If only he could have explained what happened! (If only he could explain what happened).
- I wish I had a bigger car. (I wish I had a bigger car).
Andrea is a language teacher, and on her Instagram account she offers private lessons by video call so that you can learn to speak English.
