Comments on: Using Wish

By: Clare

Clare — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:03:42 +0000

I don't think you can have a structure of duration (i.e. since + present perfect) in a wish clause, as we use these to talk about our regrets about the present, or our regrets about the past – not our regrets of "duration".

Regrets about past
I wish you had got here at 3 pm.
I wish you had been here at 3 pm.
I wish you had been here for the beginning of the play.

Regrets about present
I wish you were here with me.

Does this explanation sound about right to you?

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:32:54 +0000

One of my students wants to know if this sentence is correct: "I wish you had been here since 3 o'clock" OR "I wish you were here since I arrived." . . . I told him these were wrong, because "since" is used with the Present Perfect ("have been here since 3 o'clock"). However, I'm not sure how to explain to him WHY this is wrong and what he should write instead. Could someone help me out? The main issue: How to use phrases with "Since" inside a conditional "Wish" structure. Thanks so much!

By: Clare

Clare — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:01:26 +0000

Yes. Or use "wanted", which is less formal.

By: kity

kity — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:53:20 +0000

how should i say in the following situation: i'm telling a story. I want to say that a year ago i had a drem or an ambition to do something. Can i say this using "wished"?

By: Clare

Clare — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:32:40 +0000

I wish she didn't make so many mistakes in her speech = you are making a comment about a present situation. She makes mistakes (present) and you wish she didn't do this.

I wish she wouldn't make so many mistakes = would being the past tense of will, in this example you refer to a person's intention and you want them to stop. It's almost as if she deliberately makes mistakes, rather than the fact she doesn't know she's making mistakes.

I wish you wouldn't smoke = you decide to smoke, I don't like it, and I would like you to stop doing it in the future.