“Incomplete” conditional sentences: I wish and if only constructions. Sentences with I wish in English I wish in English exercises

For example. If you (to be) free, I (to come) to see you.

If you are free, I shall come to see you.

If you were free, I should come to see you.

If you had been free, I should have come to see you.

If I (to see) her, I (to be) glad.

If I see her, I shall be glad.

If I saw her, I should be glad.

If I had seen her, I should have been glad.

1. If you (to be) busy, I (to leave) you alone. 2. If my friend (to come) to see me, I (to be) very glad. 3. If mother (to buy) a cake, we (to have) a very nice tea party. 4. If we (to receive) a telegram from him, we (not to worry). 5. If you (not to work) systematically, you (to fail) the exam. 6. If I (to live) in Moscow, I (to visit) the Tretyakov Gallery every year. 7. If I (to get) a ticket, I (to go) to the Philharmonic. 8. If I (to live) near a wood, I (to gather) a lot of mushrooms. 9. If my father (to return) early, we (to watch) TV together. 10. If she (to know) English, she (to try) to enter the university.

Answers: 1.1)If you are busy, I shall leave you alone. 2) If you were busy, I should leave you alone. 3)If you had been busy, I should have left you alone. 2. 1) If my friend comes to see me, I shall be very glad. - If a friend comes, I will be glad. 2) If my friend came to see me, I should be very glad. - If a friend came, I would be glad. (dream) 3) If my friend had to come to see me, I should have been very glad. — If a friend had come (but he didn’t), I would have been glad. (regret) 3. 1) If mother buys a cake, we shall have a very nice tea party. 2) If mother bought a cake, we should have a very nice tea party. 3) If mother had bought a cake, we should have had a very nice tea party. 4. 1) If we receive a telegram from him, we shall not worry. 2) If we received a telegram from him, we should not worry. 3)If we had received a telegram from him, we should not have worried. 5. 1)If you don’t work systematically, you will fail the exam. 2) If you did not work systematically, you would fail the exam. 3)If you had not worked systematically, you would have failed the exam. 6. 1)If I live in Moscow, I shall visit the Tretyakov Gallery every year. 2) If I lived in Moscow, I should visit the Tretyakov Gallery every year. 3) If I had lived in Moscow, I should have visited the Tretyakov Gallery every year. 7. 1) If I get a ticket, I shall go to the Philharmonic. 2) If I got a ticket, I should go to the Philharmonic. 3) If I had got a ticket, I should have gone to the Philharmonic. 8. 1) If I live near a wood, I shall gather a lot of mushrooms. 2) If I lived near a wood, I should gather a lot of mushrooms. 3) If I had lived near a wood, I should have gathered a lot of mushrooms. 9. 1) If my father returns early, we shall watch TV together. 2) If my father returned early, we should watch TV together. 3) If my father had returned early, we should have watched TV together. 10. 1) If she knows English, she will try to enter the university. 2) If she knew English, she would try to enter the university. 3) If she had known English, she would have tried to enter the university.

Exercise 2. Rewrite each of the following sentences twice, forming sentences of an unreal condition: a) relating to the present or future (II type); b) related to the past (III type).

1. If I am not too busy, I shall go to the concert. 2. They will all be surprised if I make such a mistake. 3. If he doesn’t come in time, shall we have to wait for him? 4. If no one comes to help, we shall be. obliged to do the work ourselves. 5. If you put on your glasses, you will see better. 6. What shall we do if they are late? 7. Will you be very angry if we don’t come? 8. Will he be very displeased if I don’t ring him up?

Answers: 1.1) I were not too busy, I should go to the concert. 2) If I had not been too busy, I should have gone to the concert. 2. 1) They would all be surprised if I made such a mistake. 2) They would all have been very surprised if I had made such a mistake. 3. 1)If he didn’t come in time, should we have to wait for him? 2) If he hadn’t come in time, should we have had to wait for him? 4. 1) If no one came to help, we should be obliged to do the work ourselves. 2) If no one had come to help, we should have been obliged to do the work ourselves. 5. 1)If you put on your glasses, you would see better. 2)f you had put on your glasses, you would have seen better. 6. 1)What should we do if they were late? 2) What should we have done if they had been late? 7. 1)Would you be very angry if we didn’t come? 2) Would you have been very angry if we hadn’t come? 8. 1)Would he be very displeased if I didn’t ring him up? 2) Would he have been very displeased if I hadn’t rung him up?

Exercise 3. Open the brackets using the verbs in the required form.

1. If he were not such an outstanding actor, he (not to have) so many admirers. 2. If you (to give) me your address, I shall write you a letter. 3. If she (not to be) so absent-minded, she would be a much better student. 4. If my sister does not go to the south, we (to spend) the summer in St. Petersburg together. 5. If they (not to go) to Moscow last year, they would not have heard that famous musician. 6. If you (not to get) tickets for the Philharmonic, we shall stay at home. 7. If you were not so careless about your health, you (to consult) the doctor. 8. I should be delighted if I (to have) such a beautiful fur coat. 9. If it (to rain), we shall have to stay at home. 10. If he (to work) hard, he would have achieved great progress. 11. If it is not too cold, I (not to put) on my coat. 12. I (to write) the composition long ago if you had not disturbed me. 13. If he (not to read) so much, he would not be so clever. 14. If my friend (to be) at home, he will tell us what to do.

Answers: 1. He wouldn't have. 2. You give. 3. She weren't. 4. We shall spend. 5. They had not gone. 6. You don't get. 7. You would consult. 8. I had. 9. It rains. 10. He had worked. 11. I shall not put. 12. I should have written. 13. He did not read. 14. My friend is.

Exercise 4. Form conditional sentences.

1. Not is busy and does not come to see us. If... 2. The girl did not study well last year and received bad marks. If... 3. He broke his bicycle and so he did not go to the country. If... 4. He speaks English badly: he has no practice. If... 5. I had a bad headache yesterday, that’s why I did not come to see you. If... 6. The ship was sailing near the coast, that’s why it struck a rock. If... 7. He was not in town, therefore he was not present at our meeting. If... 8. The pavement was so slippery that I fell and hurt my leg. If... 9. The sea is rough, and we cannot sail to the island. If... 10. They made a fire, and the frightened wolves ran away. If... 11. It is late, and I have to go home. If... 12. I was expecting my friend to come, that’s why I could not go to the cinema with you. If... 13. He always gets top marks in mathematics because it is his favorite subject and he works a lot at it. If... 14. I did not translate the article yesterday because I had no dictionary. If... 15. We lost our way because the night was pitch-dark. If... 16. The box was so heavy that I could not carry it. That's why I took a taxi. If...

Answers: 1. If he were not busy, he would come to see us. 2. If the girl had studied well last year, she would not have received bad marks. 3. If he had not broken his bicycle, he would have gone to the country. 4. If he had (more) practice, he would speak English better. 5. If I had not had a bad headache yesterday, I should have come to see you. 6. If the ship had not sailed near the coast, it would not have struck a rock. 7. If he had been in town, he would have been present at our meeting. 8. If the pavement had not been so slippery, I should not have fallen and hurt my leg. 9. If the sea were not (so) rough, we should (could) sail to the island. 10. If they had not made a fire, the wolves would not have run away. 11. If it were not late, I should not have to go home. 12. If I had not expected my friend to come, I should (could) have gone to the cinema with you. 13. If mathematics were not his favorite subject and he did not work a lot at it, he would not always get top marks. 14. If I had a dictionary, I should have translated the article yesterday. 15. If the night had not been pitch-dark, we should not have lost our way. 16. If the box had not been so heavy, (I could have carried it and) I should not have taken a taxi.

Exercise 5. Open the parentheses, using the required form of the subjunctive mood after “I wish.”

1. I wish I (to have) a season ticket to the Philharmonic next winter. 2. I wish I (to consult) the teacher when I first felt that mathematics was too difficult for me. 3. I love sunny weather. I wish it (to be) warm and fine all the year round. 4. I wish I (not to lend) Nick my watch: he has broken it.5. I wish you (to send) word as soon as you arrive. 6. I wish I (not to have) to do my homework every day. 7. I wish you (to go) skiing with me yesterday: I had such a good time! 8. I wish I (to know) Spanish. 9. I wish I (not to drink) so much coffee in the evening: I could not sleep half the night. 10. I wish you (to read) more in the future. 11. I wish I never (to suggest) this idea. 12. I wish I (to be) at yesterday’s party: it must have been very merry. 13. I wish we (to meet) again next summer. 14. Don’t you wish you (to see) that performance before? 15. They wished they (not to see) this horrible scene again. 16. The unfortunate pupil wished he (not to forget) to learn the rule.

Answers: 1. I had. 2. I had consulted. 3. It were. 4. I didn't have tape. 5. You sent. 6. I didn't have. 7. You had gone. 8. I knew. 9. I was not drunk. 10. You read. 11. I had never suggested. 12. I had been. 13. We met. 14. You had seen. 15. They didn't see. 16. He had not forgotten.

Exercise 6. Paraphrase the following sentences using “I wish”.

E.g. It's a pity you are ill.

I wish you weren't ill.

1. Unfortunately they won’t return before Christmas. 2. The student was sorry he had not studied the material better and had shown such poor knowledge at the exam. 3. It’s a pity that you did not send for us last night. 4. It’s a pity you are not with us these days. 5. My friend regrets not having entered the university. 6. He was sorry not to have enough time to finish his paper. 7. It’s a pity we shan’t be able to reach home before teatime. 8. I am sorry I made you upset by telling you this news. 9. What a pity you don’t know enough physics.

Answers: 1.I wish they returned before Christmas. 2. The student wished he had studied the material better and shown better knowledge at the exam. 3. I wish you had sent for us last night. 4. I wish you were with us these days. 5. My friend wishes he had entered the university. 6. He wished he had enough time to finish his paper. 7. I wish we were able to reach home before teatime. 8. I wish I had not made you upset by telling you this news. 9. I wish you knew enough physics.

Exercise 7. Translate into English using “I wish”.

• 1. a) It’s a pity that he’s so frivolous
• b) It’s a pity that he is not serious enough.
• 2. a) I now regret that I did not listen to his advice,
• b) I now regret that I followed his advice.
• 3. a) It’s a pity that you came so late,
• b) It’s a pity that you didn’t come earlier.
• 4. a) It’s a shame that we left before he arrived.
• b) It’s a shame that we didn’t wait for his arrival.
• 5. a) Unfortunately, they don’t know anything yet,
• b) Unfortunately, they already know about this.

Answers: 1.a) I wish he were not so light-minded. b) I wish he were more serious. 2. a) Now I wish I had listened to his advice (had followed his advice). b) Now I wish I had not followed his advice. 3. a) I wish you had not come so late. b) I wish you had come earlier. 4. a) I wish we had not gone before he came. b) I wish we had waited until he came. 5. a) I wish they knew it already. b) I wish they did not know about it.

Exercise 8. Translate into English using “I wish”.

1. Oh, if you had told her about this last Sunday! 2. It would be nice if we had a vacation now. 3. If only he would come tonight! 4. We regretted not asking him for advice. 5. It’s a pity that you refused to take part in the picnic. 6. It’s a pity that you are not interested in this subject. 7. We would like you to mention these facts. 8. It’s a pity that we missed the train. 9. It’s a pity that you turned on the TV so late. 10. If only I were free now! 11. It’s a pity that I didn’t have much time yesterday. 12. It would be nice if you wrote to her about this yourself. 13. It’s a pity that you didn’t pay attention to his warning. 14. He regretted leaving the university. 15. It’s a pity that it’s too late to go there. 16. Oh, if only I had arrived at the station on time! 17. It’s a pity that you haven’t read such a wonderful book. 18. It’s a pity that she makes so many mistakes in her speech. 19. It’s a pity that you didn’t visit the exhibition. 20. It’s a pity that I found out about this so late. 21. What a pity that we didn’t find Kolya at home. 22. She regretted that she had not told us this story earlier.

Answers: 1. Oh, how I wish you had told her about it last Sunday! 2. I wish we had holidays now. 3. Oh, I wish he came tonight! 4. We wished we had asked his advice. 5. I wish you had not refused to take part in the picnic. 6. I wish you were interested in this subject. 7. We wish you mentioned these facts. 8. I wish we had not missed the train. 9. I wish you had turned on the TV earlier. 10. I wish I were free now! 11. I wish I had had more time yesterday. 12. I wish you wrote her about it yourself. 13. I wish you had paid attention to his warning. 14. He wished he had not left the university. 15. I wish it were not too late to go there. 16. Oh, how I wish I had come to the railway station on time! 17. I wish you had read this wonderful book. 18. I wish she did not make so many mistakes in her speech. 19. I wish you had visited the exhibition. 20. I wish I had learned about it earlier. 21. I wish we had found Nick at home. 22. She wished she had told us this story before.

pay attention to mixed cases the use of tenses in conditional sentences of type II and III:

If I were acquainted with this famous professor, I should have run him up yesterday.

The condition refers to the present tense (type II), and the consequence refers to the past (type III).

If I had written the composition yesterday, I should be free now.

The condition refers to the past tense (type III), and the consequence refers to the present (type II).

Exercise 9. Form conditional sentences. Don't forget about mixed cases.

1. I shall go to the dentist because I have a toothache. If... 2. He is groaning with pain now because he did not go to the dentist to have his tooth filled. If... 3. She does not go to the polyclinic because she does not need any treatment. If... 4. He will not go to see the play as he was present at the dress rehearsal. If … 5. He went to Moscow specially to hear this famous singer because he is fond of him. If... 6. We did not go to the cafeteria to have a glass of lemonade because we were not thirsty. If... 7. She could not mend her dress herself because she had no needle. If... 8. He is not a first-class sportsman now because he did not train enough last year. If... 9. The pupils were active because they wanted to understand this difficult material. If... 10. The pupils did not understand the homework because they were inattentive. If... 11. The pupils worked hard and did well in their exams. If... 12. She won’t try to enter the foreign languages ​​department because she is not good at foreign languages. If...

Answers: 1. If I did not have a toothache, I should not go to the dentist. 2. If he had gone to the dentist to have his tooth filled, he would not be groaning with pain now. 3. If she needed some treatment, she would go to the polyclinic. 4. If he had not been present at the dress rehearsal, he would go to see the play. 5. If he were not fond of this famous singer, he would not have gone to Moscow specially to hear him. 6. If we had been thirsty, we should have gone to the cafeteria to have a glass of lemonade. 7. If she had had a needle, she would (could) have mended her dress herself. 8. If he had trained enough last year, he would be a first-class sportsman now. 9. If the pupils had not wanted to understand this difficult material, they would not have been so active. 10. If the pupils had been more attentive, they would have understood the homework. 11. If the pupils had not worked hard, they would not have done well in their exams. 12. If she were good at foreign languages, she would try to enter the foreign languages ​​department.

Exercise 10. Translate into English.

1. He has changed so much! If you met him, you wouldn't recognize him. 2. If I were you, I would consult with my parents. 3. If the tram arrived now, we wouldn’t be late. 4. If he knew that this would upset you, he would be more careful. 5. If you could help me solve this problem, I would be very grateful to you. 6. It’s a pity that it didn’t occur to us to look for the book in the library earlier. We would have done the work on time and would now be free. 7. It’s a pity that we had so few lessons. If we worked more, we would know the language better. 8. If he had not regularly attended sports training, he would not have achieved such success in competitions. 9. If you had warned me in advance, I would have already been in Moscow. 10. It’s a pity that she has already left. If you had called earlier, she would be here now. 11. If he had been smarter, he would not have gone into the forest yesterday. 12. If she had not sent this letter yesterday, my brother would be at home now. 13. What would we do now if mom hadn’t baked a pie yesterday? 14. It’s a pity that you haven’t heard Rachmaninov’s music. If you had heard it, you would know what a wonderful composer he is. 15. I am sure that everyone would be happy if the evening took place.

Answers: 1. He has changed so much! If you met him, you would not recognize him. 2. If I were you, I should consult my parents. 3. If a tram came now, we should not be late. 4. If he had known that this would upset you, he would have been more careful. 5. If you helped me to solve this problem, I should be very grateful to you. 6. I wish it had occurred to us before looking for the book in the library. We should have done the work in time and now we should be free, 7. I wish we had had more lessons. If we had worked more, we should know the language better. 8. If he had not attended sports trainings regularly, he would not have achieved such success in the competitions. 9. If you had warned me before, I should already be in Moscow. 10. I wish she had not gone. If you had called before, she would be here now. 11. If he were cleverer, he would not have gone to the wood yesterday. 12. If she had not sent this letter yesterday, my brother would be at home now. 13. What should we be doing now if mother had not baked a pie yesterday? 14. I wish you had heard Rakhmaninov’s music. If you had heard it, you would know what a wonderful composer he was. 15. I am sure that everyone would be glad if the party took place.

Offers with “I wish” is a rather complicated topic, but everything falls into place if you thoroughly understand the meaning of these wish phrases. To do this, you need to know what , and is, because the sentences with I wish, discussed in this article, are a type of conditional sentence.

Meaning of Sentences with I Wish

Verb to wish means “to desire, to want,” but sentences with I wish often translated as “I'm sorry that...”.

For example:

I wish I had a million dollars. – It's a pity that I don't have a million dollars.

What does “sorry” have to do with it? The fact is that such proposals express not just wishes, but wishes with a tinge of regret that what is desired does not correspond to reality (in the present tense), did not come true (in the past) or will not come true (in the future).

In Russian, they correspond to sentences like “I would like it to be like this, but, alas, it is like that” or sentences with “sorry”: “It’s a pity that it didn’t work out that way” - the meaning is approximately the same.

Actually, the sentence about a million dollars can be translated as follows:

I would like to I wish I had a million dollars! (but, alas, I don't have it)

It won't be a mistake. The following translation would be an error:

I want to have a million dollars.

This option is not suitable because it there is no hint of regret, only a wish, an expression of will.

Sentences with I wish express a feeling familiar to every person: regret about something not done, not realized, not realized, not realized. Since all of us, to be honest, often experience such regrets, phrases with “I wish” are used in speech quite often – more often than we would like.

Sentences with I wish are a type of conditional. As in conditionals, they consist of a main part (I wish) and a subordinate clause. It is the subordinate clause that influences the meaning of the expression.

Of course, the main part can contain not only the first person, but also the second and third: You wish, She\He wishes, but for simplicity we will take examples only with the first person.

Here are the possible options for sentences with I wish.

Summary table of sentences with I wish in English

I wish I did it: it’s a pity that this doesn’t exist\it’s not so (in the present, less often in the future)

Sentence scheme: I wish + Past Simple.

If tense is used in the subordinate clause, the meaning of the expression is: there is (or will be) some unpleasant situation, and I would really like it to be different, but this impossible. More often than not, such proposals refer to the present time.

For example, a man finds himself on a desert island without matches, he exclaims:

I wish I had matches!

It means that:

1. He doesn't have matches.
2. They have nowhere to turn, and the situation cannot be corrected.
3. He is very sorry that points 1 and 2.

Such similar phrases can be translated into Russian in two (at least) ways: using "it's a pity" And “I wish, I wish”. In textbooks, as a rule, the option with “sorry” is given. This “sorry” confuses many people because:

• firstly, it’s not entirely clear what “sorry” has to do with it, if in the original wish(want, wish)
• secondly, it is unclear why the negation appears in the Russian translation.

It will become clearer if we compare the two translation options: their meaning is the same, it’s just that the forms of expression of the same thought are different.

I wish I had matches!

• It's a pity that I don't have matches! (and apparently won’t happen anymore)
• I would like to so that I have matches! (but where do they come from?)

The option with “sorry” is found more often in textbooks, because it more accurately reflects the main semantic content of the phrase: regret. Whereas the option with “wanting” can be mistakenly taken as not regret, and for wish:

I wish I had matches! (bring me matches!) – wish.

This is not at all the same as:

Oh, what a pity that I don’t have any matches (I should have grabbed them, but who knew...) - regret.

Meanwhile, it is not difficult to confuse these two options without delving into it. Therefore, the authors of textbooks prefer the option with “sorry” - there’s certainly nothing to be confused with.

Where did the denial come from?

Please note: when we transfer wish literally, as “to want”, subordinate clauses in the English version and in the Russian translation are either both affirmative or both negative:

I wish I HAD matches. (approved) - I wish I had WERE matches. (approved)

I wish I DIDN'T have headache. (neg.) - I wish I had NOT SICK head. (neg.)

But when we translate the phrase by inserting “sorry”, in the Russian version the subordinate clause turns out:

• negative, if in English it is affirmative,
• affirmative, if in English it is negative.

I wish I HAD matches. (approved) - It’s a pity that I have NO matches. (approved)

I wish I DIDN'T have a headache. (neg.) - It’s a pity that I have HURTS head. (neg.)

This is required by the logic of the Russian language. If you don’t “turn” the verb in the Russian translation, then the meaning will change to the exact opposite: “It’s a pity that I DO NOT have a headache.”

This is where many people get confused, because they have to “turn over” the sentence in their mind. If it’s difficult for you, just remember that the same phrase can be translated without inversions if you use “would like”:

I wish I HAD matches. - I wish I had WERE matches.

I wish I DIDN'T have a headache. - I wish I had NOT SICK head.

Other examples of sentences with the construction I wish + Past Simple:

I was asked a difficult question, I don’t know how to answer.

I wish I knew the answer.

• It's a pity, I do not know the answer.
• I would like to I need to know the answer.

Note: I wish I knew – this, by the way, is a common conversational pattern, like our “How do I know?” or “I don’t know myself,” “I would like to find out myself.”

– Where is the remote control? -Where is the TV remote control?

– I wish I knew. – I’d like to find out myself.

When we moved, it turned out that the chest of drawers did not fit into the car by just a couple of centimeters; we would have to order a whole truck.

I wish I had a big car.

• It's a pity what do I have Not big car.
• I would like to so that I have a big car (but I have a small one).

Here is an example when a sentence of this type expresses regret about the inability to change something in the future. Such sentences are rare, and they contain a direct indication of the future tense, for example the words tomorrow, next week, in a few days.

I wish I didn't have to work tomorrow.

• It's a pity that I have to work tomorrow.
• I would like to so I don't have to work tomorrow.

Very often the phrase is used in speech I wish I were – It’s a pity that I didn’t... note that when a verb is used in a subordinate clause, it is put in the form were, regardless of the person. This is required by the rules of grammar, but in modern English language, especially in colloquial speech, this rule is very often neglected.

I wish I were with my family\ I wish I was with my family.

• It's a pity what I am now Not with a family.
• I would like to I need to be with my family now.

I wish I were doing it: it’s a pity that this is not happening (or will not happen)

Sentence pattern: I wish + Past Continuous.

Offers with I wish + Past Continuos The meaning is the same as that of sentences with the Past Simple, but there are two important features:

1. We are talking about a lasting, ongoing action.

I wish I were lying on a beach now.

• It's a pity what I am now I'm not lying around on the beach (and I’m sitting at work).
• I would like to I'm now lie on the beach (and not plowing in the workshop).

2. A sentence with I wish + Past Continuos can mean: “A wish with a tinge of regret about some impossible/unlikely action in the future.” In other words: “I would like something to happen (in the future)” or “It’s a pity that this will not happen.”

I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow.

• It's a pity, what do you you're leaving Tomorrow.
• I would like to I want you tomorrow Not were leaving.

I wish I had done it: it’s a pity that it didn’t happen (in the past)

Sentence pattern: I wish + Past Perfect

Let me remind you that the meaning of the phrases I wish + Past Simple is that I wish there was something different currently available(less often in the future).

Turnover I wish + Past Perfect means the same thing, but in relation to the past: there was some unpleasant situation in the past, and I would really like it to be different, but it’s already irreparable.

Sentences of this type are usually translated into Russian with the word “sorry” or something identical in meaning; translation from “would like” is not always appropriate.

Example. The man woke up in the hospital. All in plaster. The doctor said that he had been in an accident and was injured because he was not wearing a seat belt. A thought flashed through the patient’s bandaged head:

I wish I had fastened the seatbelt.

It means that:

1. He didn’t fasten his seatbelt (to fasten the seatbelt).

As we already know, there are many special situations and exceptions in English grammar. And our topic today is just a special case. It would seem that conditional sentences in English speech have so many construction options that it is impossible to imagine at least one more. And he is and is special kind sentences that have a subjunctive mood and their own rules of construction. So, today we will try to understand how sentences with I wish are composed, what such expressions mean and in what cases they are used.

Why is the I wish construction needed?

By using expressions of the subjunctive mood in speech, the speaker seeks to talk about his desire or assumption regarding any action. For example, I would like to be free now (but I can’t). These are practically the same sentences with the I wish construction, but they have their own special semantic context.

The expression I wish itself in its basic meaning is similar to phrases like Iwantto,Iwouldliketo, which translates as “ I wish, I wish, I would like" But combinations with wish are used mainly when these wishes are not real and cannot be fulfilled for various reasons. So, the English example " IwishIwerefreenow", Russian translation " It's a pity that I'm not free now n" or " I wish I was free now"(but everyone understands that this is impossible).

In other words, sentences with I wish are an expression of any desires, almost dreams, with an emphasis on regret that they are most likely not feasible now/in the future, or were not fulfilled a long time ago. Russian equivalents – it's a pity that this is not the case; I would like..., but alas.

Grammatically, sentences with the conditional phrase I wish in English are considered conditional, and contain 2 parts: the main and subordinate parts, which contain the whole meaning of the statement. In the first part in place I any personal pronoun can be used you,we, she etc. Such expressions are used in different tense forms, the system of which will be discussed in the next section.

Sentences with I wish in different tenses

With I wish in English we can express regret both about past events and if they are currently happening or happening in the future. Accordingly, English grammar contains 2 options for their construction:

• If we regret something that is happening now or will happen in the near future, then we put the verb after wish in, sometimes in the Past Continuous.
• If we are talking about an action that happened in the distant past, the predicate of the subordinate clause is in the Past Perfect.

Let's look at examples of using similar phrases in various situations.

Grammar notes: verb to be in subordinate clauses with wish always has a shape were, regardless of which person we are talking about ( me, we, you, him, etc.): Iwishmymother were here. This rule applies to the sentences wish past simple and wish past continuous.

The second important point relates to the translation of structures into Russian. If in a sentence the predicate of the subordinate clause is in a negative form, then with the phrase “ it's a pity, …» we translate it in the affirmative form : Iwishyou didn't 't spend somuchmoneyoncosmetics (It's a pity that you you spend so much money for cosmetics).

The rule is also true in reverse: Iwish I had 5 dollars (It's a pity that I have no five dollars). Turnover " I would like…" And " I would like to…» do not require changing the form of the predicate : IwishI spoke English(I I'd like to talk in English (but I don’t speak).

Wish constructions with modal verbs

In phrases like “ wish+mod.ch.+predicate", the modal verb is always in the past tense. The predicate can be used in the form of an infinitive or verb forms of the Past tense group.

So, we have completed the topic of conditional sentences with the construction “ Iwish" Please note that these rules only apply to conditional sentences and the subjunctive mood, because the use wish also possible in sentences of other mood types. In such cases wish is used in its direct meaning, and sentences are composed according to the usual rules of their mood.

It is also worth noting that the design with Iwish often used in business English as a replacement for the expression Iwant, because it gives the speech a more formal and strict tone. However, it will not be difficult to distinguish such constructions, since the grammatical composition of the sentence will be completely different.

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In order to understand and start using the I wish construction in English, I recommend that you first learn the construction and nature of conditional sentences - and also understand the nuances - The phrase "I wish" in itself means that the speaker expresses wish. For example, I wish John were here. - a statement that John is not here, and the speaker wishes that he was here. (Translation: "It's a shame John isn't here.")

I wish in English
wish + past simple

- a desire for something to be different in the present

(the speaker wants the action performed in the present to be different, different)

I wish you called me today.

It's a pity that you didn't call me today.

wish + past perfect

- regret about the past

(regret about a past action)

I wish you had called me yesterday.

It's a pity that you didn't call me yesterday.

wish + would

- criticism, complaint, dissatisfaction, or annoyance

(used to express criticism, complaint, dissatisfaction or irritation, annoyance)

I wish you would stop shouting. I find it hard to focus.

You better stop screaming. I find it very difficult to concentrate.

BUT! “I wish I would” cannot be said!

wish + would - used to express a request, which often contains a hint of irritation

I wish you would help me. You could help me. = You could offer me help yourself, but I have to ask you myself.

wish + could + infinitive without “to”

- about something we are unable to do

(if we are talking about what we are not able to do)

It's a pity that you don't remember his name.

I wish you could remember his name.

In order to understand I wish, let's go from simple to complex, namely:

I wish - translation of affirmative sentences from English into Russian

Example 1 (wish + Past Simple):I wish I had a dog. How would you translate this sentence? At first, I suggest making 2 translations:

1. literal (word-for-word / literal translation):

"I wish (that) I had a dog." Do this translation silently and for yourself, in order to understand the meaning of the sentence.

2. literary (correct). A person wants to have a dog that he doesn’t have. He regretfully says: I wish I had a dog. "I wish (that) I had a dog." = " It's a pity, that I don’t have a dog.” The most important thing is that the meaning of the literal and literary versions coincide.

Question: Does the speaker have a dog? Answer: no. That is, he talks about his desire, about something that does not exist in reality - this is the connection with the subordinate part of conditional sentences (Second Conditional). Let me remind you, for example: If I had a dog, I would be happy.

Compare:

I wish I had a dog.

If I had a dog...

Both thoughts describe unreal action in the present tense, so the verbs are in past tense(since all unreal actions are expressed in past tenses).

Example 2. (wish + Past Simple) I wish he came on time today.

Literally: I wish he would come on time today. But he didn’t come on time, so:

Literary: It’s a pity that he didn’t come on time today.

Gradually try to reduce the literal translation to nothing and immediately translate it literally.

Example 3 (wish + Past Simple). I wish I had a car. (I don’t have a car, but I want it.) It’s a pity that I don’t have a car.

Example 4. (wish + Past Perfect) I wish you had enjoyed the film. I'm sorry you didn't like the movie. - regret about a past action, about watching a movie that happened before.

Example 5. (wish + would) I wish you wouldn’t treat me like a child. I don't want (it annoys me that..) for you to treat me like a child.

I wish - translation of negative sentences from English into Russian

Example 6. I wish he weren’t so rude.

I propose to make 2 translations again:

verbatim: I wish he wasn't so rude.

literary: It's a pity he's so rude.

Pay attention to the particle “not”.

English: verb in negative form.

English: There is no denial, there is only regret - “sorry.”

Example 7. We wish you hadn’t arrived so late.

verbatim: We wish you not to arrive so late.

literary: We are sorry that you arrived so late.

I wish - translation of sentences from Russian into English

This is the most important thing in sentences with I wish in English. Let's start right away with examples:

Example 8. It's a pity that he can't come to the meeting.

meaning: I wish he could come to the meeting.

reality: He can’t be at the meeting, that’s what I regret.

translation: I wish he could attend the meeting.

Example 9. It's a shame she's already gone.

meaning: I wish she hadn't left yet.

reality: She's already gone, she's not here.

translation: I wish she hadn’t gone.

Example 10. It's a pity that I can't fly.

reality: I don’t know how to fly (which I regret).

meaning: I wish I could fly.

translation: I wish I could fly.

Write your own I wish sentences in Russian/Ukrainian and translate them into English, following the structure. This is great practice because... everything that concerns us personally is usually remembered well and for a long time.

Assignment: Translate into English using “I wish”:

1. I wish you had told me about this last week.
2. It's a pity that you are not interested in history.
3. We are sorry that you did not mention this news. (We would like you to mention this news.)
4. I wish I had started this course (I wish I had never started it.)
5. It's a pity that I'm not going with you tomorrow.
6. It's a shame you're sick.
7. It's a pity that it's not summer now.
8. It's a pity that my sister didn't accept my offer.
9. It would be better if you didn't give me a lift.
10. When will this song finally end? (I wish this song would end soon!)

1. I wish you had told me about it last week.
2. I wish you were interested in history.
3. We wish you mentioned this news.
4. I wish I had never started this course.
5. I wish I were coming with you tomorrow.
6. I wish you were not ill.
7. I wish it were summer now.
8. I wish my sister had accepted my offer.
9. I wish you hadn’t given me a lift.
10. I wish the song would finish!

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Sentences with the constructions I wish and if only belong to unreal conditional sentences of type II or III. In fact, they represent an “incomplete” conditional sentence, since they do not contain the condition itself (if-clause). Instead of a conditional sentence, I wish or If only are used, the purpose of which is to introduce the intended action in the subjunctive mood. These constructions refer us to an unreal, hypothetical situation, expressing regret, wish or expectation. Wishes can be expressed in relation to different times (regret about the past, wishes for the future, etc.). In accordance with this, you need to be able to choose the correct grammatical form of the subjunctive mood after I wish and if only.

Meaning and translation

Verb wish translated wish, want, and constructions with wish, besides wish, have other meanings.
Sentences starting with I wish , are used to express regret, disappointment, complaint, request, reproach, desire to change the existing situation in the present or past tense.
In Russian, I wish is translated mainly as It’s a pity that... (how I wish)
If only (in Russian literally “unless...”) translated if only, if only, if only is only a synonymous expression. If only is more emotional, but can sometimes be used instead of I wish.

Compare:

Example sentences

I wish I was more confident (regret). It's a pity that I'm not confident in myself. If only you hadn’t lied me (reproach). If only you hadn’t lied to me then! I wish you would take my jacket to the dry-cleaner’s (request). I would like you to take my jacket to the dry cleaner.

Education

Formation of sentences with constructions If only, I wish is not particularly difficult. Since these sentences are complex, they consist of a main clause (expressed I wish or if only) and a subordinate clause. Based on what time the speaker regrets or dreams about, one or another tense form of the verb is used, i.e. the predicate is expressed by a verb in the subjunctive mood depending on the tense to which it refers.

Let us recall that in the subjunctive mood the correlation with the present is expressed in Past Simple, with the past Past Perfect, for the future the form would+infinitive will be used.

Wish and If only in relation to the present

To express desire or regret in relation to the present tense, the Past Simple is used.
The verb to be in the past tense with the persons I, he, she, it can have the form both were and was. The was form will be more conversational and informal.

Example sentences

I wish he had better qualifications. It's a shame he doesn't have better qualifications. If only you lived next door! If only you lived next door! I wish he were/was here. It's a shame he's not here. If only she weren’t/wasn’t so upset. It's a shame she's upset.

Wish / If only in relation to the past

Example sentences

I wish we had taken a taxi. The bus is too slow. It's a pity we didn't take a taxi. The bus is going too slow. I wish you had booked a room in advance. It's a pity that you didn't book your room in advance. I wish I had heard this song before. I wish I had heard this song before. If only they hadn’t been injured in an accident. It's a shame they were hurt in the accident.

Wish and If only in relation to the future

Important!

Subject in main and subordinate clause with would should be different, because we cannot express the incentive model towards ourselves. When we want to convey a wish in relation to ourselves (that is, the first person singular and plural), we use could instead of would.

Example sentences

I wish you would stop shouting at me. I wish you would stop yelling at me. If only they would make it up. I wish they would make peace. I wish you would see our relatives off. I wanted you to see our relatives off. I wish I could fly a helicopter. It's a pity that I don't know how to fly a helicopter. It’s such a lovely place. If only I could stay longer. It's a pity that I can't stay longer.