Remember this:

...Wish / If Only ... 1

will +verb + V(base form)
can + verb could+ V (base form)
2
instead of “was”,
we use”were”

Wishes about the past: 4. He doesn’t have enough money.

He wishes
We use “wish” to express regrets in the past for example,
5. They take the train every day.
“last year, you were offered a job to work in a restaurant, If only
but you turned down the offer.” Later, you found out that
the salary was high and the working conditions were
EXERCISE 2 Re-write these sentences as suggeted.
excellent.
1. Robert didn’t have the ticket.
Here are some ways to express regrets in the past:
Robert wishes
I wish I had accepted the job offer.
2. I stole his cell phone yesterday.
If only I hadn’t turned down the job offer. I wish
Form: wish about the past Past Perfect 3. Paul didn’t apply for the job on time.
affirmative negative Paul wishes
4. She had an accident because she drove fast.
Wishes about the present: If only
5. I was not a member of that association
We can express wishes about present using this form.
I wish
Form: wishes about the present Simple Past
affirmative negative EXERCISE 3 Re-write these sentences as suggeted.
Here are some ways to express regrets in the present: 1. My best friend won’t come to the party.
1. What a pity! I don’t know how to use this iPad. I wish
I wish I knew how to use this iPad. 2. Sorry, I can’t see you more often.
2. My sister doesn’t live in Barcelona. I wish
If only my sister lived in Barcelona. 3. They won’t arrive on Friday.
If only
4. Adam can’t lend you the car.
Wishes about the future: I wish
We can express wishes about future using this form. 5. She won’t call Jack tonight.
Form: wishes about the future (will) would + verb If only
can could + verb
EXERCISE 4 Re-write these sentences as suggeted.
affirmative negative
Here are some ways to express wishes about future: 1. Leila didn’t take the taxi to work yesterday.

1. Messy won’t play the next match against Real Madrid. Leila wishes
I wish Messy would play the next month against Real 2. He didn’t have enough time to finish the whole
Madrid. exam last time.
2. The Smiths will not come this holiday to Morocco. He wishes
If only the Smiths would come this holiday to 3. I am terribly sorry, I can’t help you.
Morocco. I wish
EXERCISE 1 Re-write these sentences as suggeted. 4. I was not with my wife during my vacation in Europe

1. Sam doesn’t live near school. last summer.

Sam wishes If only
2. My two brothers don’t speak Spanish. 5. What a pity! Susan failed her driving test.
My two brothers wish
Susan wishes
3. It doesn’t rain much here.
6. He doesn’t have a good salary.
If only
He wishes

Ali EL AZOUZI 20 BRIDGE

QUIZ 6 Quiz on Wish / If Only ...
20
EXERCISE 1 Re-write these sentences as suggested. (10Pts)
1. I can’t join the club because I don’t have a membership card.
I wish I
2. He was not able to attend the meeting last week.
If only
3. My brother doesn’t live with us in this beautiful town.
I wish my brother
4. What a pity! It didn’t rain last year.
Mr. Lawrence wishes
5. Mark didn’t wake up early. So, he missed the train.
Mark wishes
6. What a pity! I don’t know how to solve this puzzle.
If only
7. I am sure. He will arrive late to the interview.
I wish
8. What a pity! Sophie didn’t go to the doctor earlier.
Sophie wishes
9. My daughter saw a horrible film and therefore she had nightmares at night.
I wish my daughter
10. I am sorry. I can’t answer you now.
If only
EXERCISE 2 Re-write these sentences as suggested. (5Pts)
1. My uncle didn’t stay longer in Spain, and now he regrets it.
My uncle wishes
2. I can’t speak foreign languages.
I wish
3. It’s a pity! He sold his old computer yesterday.
If only
4. I can’t help you because I don’t have time.
I wish
5. He had an accident because he didn’t respect the red light.
If only

EXERCISE 3 Complete these sentences with the right form. (5Pts)

1. I insulted my friend while having an argument with him. a- had insulted

I wish I my friend while having an argument with him. b- hadn’t insulted
2. I can’t chat with you because I don’t have the internet connection. a- had
If only I the internet connection to chat with you. b- had had
3. I missed my friend’s birthday party; so, he is now mad at me. a- didn’t miss
If only I my friend’s birthday party. b- had not missed
4. Jack arrived late at the airport. Therefore, he missed his flight. a- had not arrived
Jack wishes he late at the airport. b- had arrived
5. He couldn’t help you because he didn’t have money. a- had
If only he money to help you. b- had had

Ali EL AZOUZI 21 BRIDGE

 Wishes and Regrets EnglishClub.com
Activity Sheet (page 1/2)
Intermediate

We use wish/if only + past simple/continuous to talk about present situations which we want
to be different.

We use wish/if only + past perfect to express regret, or to talk about things we wish had
happened differently in the past.

We use wish/if only + would/wouldn’t to complain about a situation, thing or person which is
annoying us.

A. Read the sentences in bold below and decide whether they are referring to the present
or the past. Write either ‘present’ or ‘past’ in the space provided.

a. I wish I was taller. I’d love to be a supermodel. …………………………………

b. I wish I had eaten breakfast. I’m absolutely starving. …………………………………

c. If only it would stop raining. I want to go outside. …………………………………

d. The bus still hasn’t arrived. If only we had driven. …………………………………

e. I wish I was an only child. My sister is so annoying. …………………………………

B. Complete the sentences by circling the correct tense.

1. If only I didn’t eat / hadn’t eaten so much cake at the party. I feel quite ill now.

2. I wish I lived / had lived in the countryside. I’m fed up with city life.

3. I wish I didn’t shave / hadn’t shaved off all my hair. My head is cold.

4. If only our lessons were / had been shorter. They make me sleepy!

5. I wish he stopped / would stop coughing. It’s really irritating.

C. Complete the sentences on the right so that they have the same meaning as the ones
on the left.

1. I would like to live alone. I wish ……………………………………………………………………

2. I hate my name. I want a different one. If only ……………………………………………………………………

3. I wasn’t careful enough. I regret it. I wish ……………………………………………………………………

4. She bites her nails. It’s annoying. I wish ……………………………………………………………………

5. Jen lied. Now she regrets it. If only ……………………………………………………………………

A freely photocopiable EnglishClub printable written by Lucy Green. © www.englishclub.com

 Wishes and Regrets (page 2/2)
EnglishClub.com

D. Complete the sentences using one of the verbs in the box below in the correct tense.

bring be not / come not / drink have

slow down not / be stop stay understand

1. Peter wishes his wife ………………………………… a better cook. She can’t even make an omelette.

2. He’s driving too fast. I wish he …………………………………………………………………………

3. I wish I ……………………………………… by car. The roads are icy tonight, and parking was expensive.

4. Sally wishes she ………………………………………… a garden. She’d love to grow her own vegetables.

5. I wish I ……………………………………………… so much coffee today. I’ll never get to sleep.

6. I wish he ………………………………………………… calling me. I don’t want to speak to him.

7. If only I ………………………………………… Japanese. If I did, I’d know what they were talking about.

8. We wish our parents …………………………………………… so strict. They don’t let us do anything.

9. If only the bar …………………………………… open later. I don’t think I’ll make it before closing time.

10. I wish I ………………………………………………………… an umbrella with me. It’s pouring!

E. Read the prompts below and complete the sentences next to them with your own
endings. Write about:

1. A superpower you would like to have. I wish ………………………………………………………

2. A possession you would like to own. I wish ………………………………………………………

3. Something you regret doing as a child. I wish ………………………………………………………

4. Something you wish a family member wouldn’t do. I wish ………………………………………………………

5. A country you would like to live in. I wish ………………………………………………………

6. Something you wish you had done in the past. I wish ………………………………………………………

7. A regret about a purchase you made. I wish ………………………………………………………

8. A skill you would like to have. I wish ………………………………………………………

9. Something you wish was different about your home. I wish ………………………………………………………

10. Something about yourself you would like to change. I wish ………………………………………………………

Ask your partner questions to find out what their endings to the sentences were, (e.g.,
‘What superpower would you like to have?’, ‘What do you wish a family member wouldn’t
do?’) and find out if any of your endings were similar.

A freely photocopiable EnglishClub printable written by Lucy Green. © www.englishclub.com

 I wish and if only Exercise

There are three distinct types of I wish / if only sentences:­

1 ­ Regrets with the PAST PERFECT (the third conditional)

I wish I hadn't got so angry.

2 ­ Wanting change for the present or future with the PAST SIMPLE
I wish I had enough money to go to Mozambique this summer.

3 ­ Complaints with WOULD + INFINITIVE

I wish you wouldn't arrive so late all the time.

Fill the gaps using the verbs in brackets.

Regrets

1 I wish I .................................... drunk and kissed Samantha. (get NEGATIVE)

2 I wish it .................................... so much. The garden's turned to mud. (rain NEGATIVE)

3 If only I .................................... there, I wouldn't have got a fine. (park NEGATIVE)
Wanting change

4 If only I .................................... more time for my hobbies. (have)

5 I wish it .................................... more often in Valencia. (rain)
6 I wish I .................................... to go to your nephew's wedding. (have NEGATIVE)
Complaints
7 I wish you .................................... so much. You're a complete idiot when you're drunk.
(drink NEGATIVE)
8 If only it ..................................... The garden's as dry as a bone. (rain)
9 I wish Samantha .................................... her hair more often. It looks so greasy all the time.
(wash)
Mixed
10 I wish you .................................... so horrible to your brother. He's a really nice bloke. (be
NEGATIVE)
11 I wish the council .................................... that beautiful old house. It was part of the town's
heritage. (demolish NEGATIVE)
12 If only I .................................... the money to go to Jon's wedding in The States. (have)
13 I wish I .................................... her she'd put on weight. She hates me now. (tell
NEGATIVE)
14 I wish you .................................... to your mother like that. (speak NEGATIVE)
15 If only we .................................... a Hewlett Packard printer. The cartridges are so
expensive. (buy NEGATIVE)
16 I wish Jorge .................................... so fast. It's only a matter of time before he kills
someone. (drive NEGATIVE)

www.autoenglish.org Written by Bob Wilson ©Robert Clifford McNair Wilson 2007