English grammar – Wish

Wishes about the present and future

1-wish + past simple is used to express that we want a situation in the present (or future) to be different.

I wish I spoke Italian. (I don’t speak Italian)

I wish I had a big car. (I don’t have a big car)

I wish I were on a beach. (I’m in the office)

I wish it were the weekend. (It’s only Wednesday)

2-wish + past continuous is used to express that we want to be doing a different action in the present (or future).

I wish I were lying on a beach now. (I’m sitting in the office)

I wish it weren’t raining. (It is raining)

I wish you weren’t leaving tomorrow. (You are leaving tomorrow)

Note:

In Standard English we use “I wish I were…” and “I wish it were…”. However, “I wish I was…” and “I wish it was” are in common usage. Using this form, the examples above would be:

I wish I was on a beach.

I wish it was the weekend.

I wish I was lying on a beach now.

I wish it wasn’t raining.

Wishes about the past

wish + past perfect is used to express a regret, or that we want a situation in the past to be different.

I wish I hadn’t eaten so much. (I ate a lot)

I wish they’d come on holiday with us. (They didn’t come on holiday)

I wish I had studied harder at school. (I was lazy at school)

Wish + would

wish + would + bare infinitive is used to express impatience, annoyance or dissatisfaction with a present action.

I wish you would stop smoking.

You are smoking at the moment and it is annoying me.

I wish it would stop raining.

I’m impatient because it is raining and I want to go outside.

I wish she’d be quiet.

I am annoyed because she is speaking.

Wish and hope

To express that you want something to happen in the future (not wanting a situation to be different, and not implying impatience or annoyance) hope is used instead of wish.

I hope it’s sunny tomorrow.

“I wish it was sunny tomorrow” is not correct.

I hope she passes her exam next week.

“I wish she were passing her exam next week” is not correct.

I hope the plane doesn’t crash tomorrow.

“I wish the plane wouldn’t crash tomorrow” is not correct.

Wish and want

wish + infinitive or wish + object + infinitive is used to mean want in a formal situation.

I wish to leave now. (+ infinitive)

I wish to speak to your supervisor please. (+ infinitive)

I do not wish my name to appear on the list. (+ object + infinitive)

Wish in fixed expressions

I/we wish you… is used in fixed expressions.

I wish you a happy birthday.

We wish you good luck in your new job.

Pronunciation

See the phonemic chart for IPA symbols used below.

In connected speech catenation and elision often occur with wish.

I wish I’d studied harder: /wI ʃaɪd/

(catenation – the last consonant sound of wish is joined to the vowel sound in I)

I wish he hadn’t done that: /wI ʃiː/

(catenation and elison – as above, and the first consonant sound in he is elided)