I'd rather you phoned her

Wishes

	Form	Use
I wish (wish/regret about the present)	+ Past Simple	Wish/regret about a present situation we want to be different
e.g. I wish you worked more efficiently. (It’s a pity you don’t work more efficiently) e.g. I wish I could drive a car. (But I can’t)
I wish (regret about the past)	+ Past Perfect	Regret that something happened or didn’t happen in the past
e.g. I wish I had attended the seminar last Monday. (But I didn’t. it’s a pity I didn’t attend it.)
I wish (impossible wish for a future change)	+ subject + would + bare infinitive   (wish and would should have different subjects)	Wish for a future change unlikely to happen or wish to express dissatisfaction; polite request implying dissatisfaction or lack of hope
e.g. I wish he would drive more carefully. (But I don’t think he will. – wish for a future change unlikely to happen); e.g. I wish the children would be more cooperative. (The children have refused to cooperate. – dissatisfaction)

NOTE 1: In wishes we go one tense back – we use the Past Simple in the present and the Past Perfect in the past.

NOTE 2: We can use were instead of was in all persons.

NOTE 3: if only means the same as I wish but it is more dramatic: e.g. If only I were richer!

6.1 Rewrite these sentences using I wish + past simple:

e.g. I'd love to live in Australia. – I wish I lived in Australia.

e.g. I hate having to go to school on Saturdays. – I wish I didn't have to go to school on Saturdays.

1. Why don't we go away more often?

2. I'd love to be a film star.

3. Why don't we have a bigger house?

4. I'd love to speak more languages.

5. I'd love to be able to cook.

6. Why is the school so expensive?

7. I never have enough money: it would be nice to have more.

8. I hate having to do homework every night.

9. He smokes.

10. I don’t speak Russian.

6.2 Rewrite these sentences using I wish + past perfect:

e.g. I decided to work in London. – I wish I hadn't decided to work in London.

e.g. We didn't go to Alan's party. – I wish we'd gone to Alan's party.

1. We went to live with my parents in Surrey.

2. I decided to stop working as a bus driver.

3. We put our money into a grocery shop.

4. We borrowed £3,000 to start the business.

5. We didn't realise that a supermarket was opening nearby.

6. The grocery shop closed down.

7. We lost all our money.

8. It was a mistake to leave Manchester.

6.3 Mr and Mrs Reynolds are worried about their children. Write what they want them to do, using I wish + would:

e.g. John never comes home before twelve o'clock. – I wish John would come home before twelve o'clock.

e.g. Sheila isn't very polite to her grandparents. – I wish Sheila would be more polite to her grandparents.

1. Peter doesn't wash very often.

2. Susan isn't working very hard for her exams.

3. John doesn't help with the housework.

4. I'd like Peter to give up smoking.

5. Sheila takes too many days off work.

6. I don't like John playing football all the time.

7. Sheila and Susan are very unkind to Peter.

8. John doesn't wear a tie very often.

6.6 Answer 'Yes' or 'No' and circle (A) or (B):

1. I wish I had a big car. – Do I have a big car?

Am I talking about (A) the present? (B) the past?

2. I wish I'd gone to university. – Did I go to university?

Am I talking about (A) the present? (B) the past?

3. If only she'd take the new job. – Has she agreed to take the new job?

Am I talking about (A) the past? (B) the present/future?

4. I wish they hadn't phoned the police. – Did they phone the police?

Am I talking about (A) the past? (B) the present/future?

5. I wish she spoke French. – Can she speak French? Did she speak French?

Are we talking about (A) the past? (ii) the present?

6. I wish she would speak French. – Can she speak French? Is she speaking French?

Are we talking about (i) the past? (B) the present/future?

7. I wish I could agree with you. – Do I agree with you? Am I going to change my mind?

Am I talking about (A) the past? (B) the present?

8. If only he'd agreed with us. – Did he agree with us?

Am I talking about (A) the present? (B) the past?

7. It’s time…

In clauses after “it's time” and “would rather”,a past tense has a present or future meaning.

e.g. It's time he went to bed.

It's time you washed those trousers.

'Shall I open a window?' I'd rather you didn't. '

Don't come today. We'd rather you came tomorrow.

7.1 Write sentences using It's time you/he/ etc:

e.g. You ought to clean that car. – It's time you cleaned that car.

1. She should get her hair cut.

2. We ought to have a holiday.

3. You need to cut the grass.

4. You should wash that sweater.

5. You ought to stop smoking.

6. He ought to grow up.

7. We ought to paint the kitchen.

8. He needs a new car.

9. That team hasn't won a match for ages.

7.2 Rewrite the second sentence in each conversation, starting with I'd rather we/you/ etc:

e.g. 'You'd better phone Judy.' 'No, you phone her.' –

1. 'Let's talk things over.' 'No, let's talk tomorrow.'

2. 'Shall I come at nine?' 'Ten would be better.'

3. 'I'll phone Sue.' 'No, don't.'

4. 'Can she work with you?' 'Why doesn't she work with Maggie?'

5. 'I'll cook tomorrow.' 'Tonight would be better.'

6. 'Ask that policeman.' 'You ask him.'

7. 'Mark wants to go out.' 'I'd prefer him to stay in.'

8. 'Can they use our sheets?' 'It would be more convenient if they brought their own.'

9. 'The government wants to cut taxes.' 'It would be better if they did something about the homeless.'

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