► Lets start off with the easy part. I wish to can mean the same as I want to but it is much, much more formal and much, much less common. - I wish to make a complaint. - I wish to see the manager. ► You can also use wish with a noun to offer good wishes. - We wish you a merry Christmas. - I wish you all the best in your new job. ► Notice that when you want to offer good wishes using a verb, you must use hope and not wish. - We wish you the best of luck. - We hope you have the best of luck. - I wish you a safe and pleasant journey. - I hope you have a safe and pleasant journey. ► However, the main use of wish is to say that we would like things to be different from what they are, that we have regrets about the present situation. - I wish I was rich. - He wishes he lived in Paris. - They wish theyd chosen a different leader. ► Notice that the verb tense which follows I wish is more in the past than the tense corresponding to its meaning. - Im too fat. I wish I was thin. - I never get invited to parties. I wish I got invited to parties. - Its raining. I wish it wasnt raining. - I went to see the latest Star Wars film. I wish I hadnt gone. - Ive eaten too much. I wish I hadnt eaten so much. - Im going to visit her later. I wish I wasnt going to visit her later. ► In the case of will , where will means show willingness we use would. - He wont help me. I wish he would help me. - Youre making too much noise. I wish you would be quiet. - You keep interrupting me. I wish you wouldnt do that. ► Where will means a future event, we cannot use wish and must use hope. - Theres a strike tomorrow. I hope some buses will still be running - I hope everything will be fine in your new job. ► In more formal English, we use the subjunctive form were and not was after wish. - I wish I were taller. - I wish it were Saturday today. - I wish the options were a little clearer. Akram.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 06:38:40 +0000
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