![]() ![]() (This means the same as 'I would like to speak to the headmaster'.) We don't usually use a continuous tense with 'wish' in this case. Other uses of 'wish' Wish + to + infinitive: We can use 'wish' with the infinitive to mean 'would like'. (But unfortunately the train was late, and so I missed my interview.) I wish that the train had been on time.I wish that I hadn't eaten so much yesterday! (But I did eat a lot yesterday.(I didn't study hard at school, and now I'm sorry about it.) I wish that I had studied harder at school.This use of 'wish' is very similar to the third conditional. These are things that have already happened but we wish they'd happened in a different way. Wishes about the past Wish + (that) + past perfect: We can use 'wish' with the past perfect to talk about regrets from the past. (It's strange to use 'wish' + 'would' about yourself, as you can change your behaviour if you don't like it!) (Instead: I wish that tomorrow was a holiday.) NOT: I wish that tomorrow would be a holiday.We don't usually use 'would' when there's no feeling that we want somebody to change their behaviour. I wish that you wouldn't work late so often.I wish that you wouldn't smoke so much! (You do smoke a lot and I don't like it.I wish that the neighbours would be quiet! (They are not quiet and I don't like the noise.).(John does usually eat all the chocolate and I don't like it. I wish that John wouldn't eat all the chocolate.It's not usually used about ourselves, or about something which nobody can change though, exceptionally, we do use it about the weather. It's generally used about other people who are doing (or not doing) something that we don't like and we want that person to change. Wish + (that) + would: On the other hand, we use 'would' with 'wish' in a little bit of a special way. I hope that Julie has a lovely holiday (NOT: I wish that Julie had a lovely holiday).I hope that it's sunny tomorrow (NOT: I wish that it was sunny tomorrow).I hope that you pass your exam (NOT: I wish that you passed the exam).We don't usually use 'wish' in this way for things that are really possible in the future. I wish that John could help you clean up (John is at work, so he can't help).I wish that we could go to the party tonight (unfortunately, we're busy so we can't go).I wish that I could drive (I can't drive).I wish that I could speak Spanish (but, unfortunately, I can't speak Spanish).We use 'could' with 'wish' to talk about ability and to talk about possibility. For example, 'we can't come to the party tonight' or 'John can help you clean up'. We also use 'can' to talk about possibility - if things are possible or not possible. For example, 'I can speak Spanish' or 'I can't drive'. Of course, we use 'can' to talk about ability - if we know how to do something or not. In this situation, 'could' is the past simple of 'can'. We also use 'wish' with 'could' to talk about things in the present or future that we would like to be different. ![]()
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