2º Bachiller I wish/If only explanation and exercises

Wish / If only     

Use:
Wish and If only can be used:
a) To wish for an ability now or in the future.
I wish I could play the guitar!        
If only I could dance like that!     

I wish I could go to your wedding next week, but I can’t.
If only I could see my grandmother more often, but I can’t.

b) To wish that something could be true at the moment.
I wish I had long hair!       If only I were taller!

c) To wish that something was happening at the moment.
I wish I was lying on the beach right now!            If only I was lying on the beach right now!

d) To wish that something kept happening again and again, or to wish it could stop happening.
I wish you wouldn’t shout so loudly.        If only he wouldn’t shout so loudly.

e) To wish that something in the past had happened in a different way.
I wish I had studied for my exam!              If only I hadn’t argued with him!

Form:

• To wish for an ability now or in the future.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + could + infinitive verb
  I wish that I could sing.
  If only I could come to Australia too!

• To wish that something could be true at the moment.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + past simple
I wish I had a pony.
I wish I was rich.
When using the verb ‘be’, you can use ‘were’ for all persons.
I wish I were rich.             If only I were rich.

• To wish that something was happening at the moment.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + past continuous
I wish that this traffic was moving. 
If only this traffic was/were moving!

• To wish that something kept happening again and again, or to wish it could stop happening.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + would + past participle
I wish you would tidy up more often.

Often:   I wish (that) / If only + subject + would stop + verb-ing
I wish he would stop shouting.
I wish (that) / If only + subject + wouldn’t keep + verb-ing
I wish you wouldn’t keep hitting me.

• To wish that something in the past had happened in a different way.

I wish (that) / If only + past perfect         
I wish I had studied for my exam!              
If only I hadn’t argued with him!

 Exercises

Canal Luis Three explanation in Spanish

IN class (brief summary)