Читать книгу English Grammar with Kudjo. Part 3. Понятная и забавная грамматика для детей и взрослых. онлайн

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We use

Subject + wish + somebody + Past Simple or Past Continuous or

If only + somebody + Past Simple or Past Continuous

to talk about things we would like to be different in the present/future (but which are impossible or unlikely)

Kudjo wishes he knew the truth. (= He doesn’t know it and he regrets this)

If only Kudjo knew the truth!

After wish and if only, you can use were instead of was (). It sounds more formal.

I wish it was is also possible. So you can say:

Kudjo wishes Luna were (was) here now.

There is no big substantial difference between wish and if only, apart from the fact that if only gives more emphasis to what we are saying.

EXERCISE 1

I wish If only

For example,

Kudjo: I love horses but I can’t ride. — If only I could ride horses!

1 Luna: I love dancing but I don’t have anybody to dance with.

2 Kudjo: I love spending time with Luna. I enjoy doing puzzles. But Luna isn’t allowed to do jigsaw puzzles.

3 Luna’s parents: We know that we must tell Luna all our family secrets but we don’t know how to do it.

4 Luna: I have fallen in love with Chilly and am looking forward to his coming.

5 Kudjo: I’d like to live in the country all year round but we have to live in the city almost all the time.

6 Kudjo: I’m fed up with dry food. Why can’t I eat raw meat instead?

7 Kudjo: I hate washing paws after every walk. If I lived in the country, I wouldn’t do it.

8 Luna’s parents: We should spend more time with Luna but we are so busy.

9 Luna: I hate learning but Kudjo wants me to read more and learn something useful.

10 Kudjo: I don’t know how to open this box but it is very important.

We use

Subject + wish + somebody + Past Perfect

or

if only + somebody + Past Perfect

to talk about things that happened or didn’t happen in the past and which we now regret.

Kudjo and Luna wish they had come home in time. (but they didn’t)

EXERCISE 2

I wish ( If only) + Past Perfect:

For example,

Kudjo regrets having a row with Lina. – If only they hadn’t had a row.