I wish I did...

[Aurimas]

Hello,

I know that we can you "I wish... would..." structure for actions and changes, but NOT situations

so we can say:
1. I wish Sarah would come
but we CANNOT say:
2. I wish Sarah would be here now

but can we use past simple in first example, instead of "would..." :
the question is: can we say "I wish Sarah came" or "I wish I did my home work" and if we can, then what is the difference in meaning when we say: "I wish Sarah would come" or "I wish I would do my home work"

?

Originally Posted by Aurimas

Hello,
I know that we can you "I wish... would..." structure for actions and changes, but NOT situations
so we can say:
1. I wish Sarah would come
but we CANNOT say:
2. I wish Sarah would be here now
but can we use past simple in first example, instead of "would..." :
the question is: can we say "I wish Sarah came" or "I wish I did my home work" and if we can, then what is the difference in meaning when we say: "I wish Sarah would come" or "I wish I would do my home work"
?

1. I wish Sarah would come

We use this structure - wish +would + infinitive - when we want something to happen or when we want somebody to do or not to do something. We are not happy with the current situation, so it often expresses dissatisfaction or annoyance .We can replace wish with if only to make the sentence more emphatic.
e.g. I wish he would stop complaining.
I wish you would clean your room. It`s so dirty!
I wish you wouldn`t drive so fast.

Sometimes we talk as if things or situations could be willing or unwilling, or could insist or refuse to do things.
e.g. Don`t you wish this moment would last forever?
I wish it would stop raining.

2. I wish Sarah would be here now -it is not correct because your statement expresses regret , and here, the best choice is : I wish Sarah were[more formal]/was here .

Thus, this construction [ wish +{that} + simple past } is used to express regrets and wishes for unlikely or impossible things. You want to change a present state. We are not talking about willingness, unwillingness, insistence or refusal [ when "would" is used].
We can replace "wish" with "if only" to make the sentence more emphatic

e.g.I wish I were/was taller --If only I was/were taller
He wishes [that] I did not smoke.
I wish I lived in Italy.
I wish you did not have to leave now.


Regards,

[Passionwagon]

Hi Sheena, great answer btw, but I don't know exactly how it works yet. What about when you hear and read things like: "I wish Claire would be kinder to her friends" or "I wish John would be disciplined"?


"I wish she were better behaved at weddings" and "I wish she would be better behaved at weddings." There doesn't seem to be any difference between those two.

Originally Posted by Passionwagon

Hi Sheena, great answer btw, but I don't know exactly how it works yet. What about when you hear and read things like: "I wish Claire would be kinder to her friends" or "I wish John would be disciplined"?
"I wish she were better behaved at weddings" and "I wish she would be better behaved at weddings." There doesn't seem to be any difference between those two.

Hi, Passion!


Let me put it some other way :

I wish she were better / behaved better... - expresses regret [ she does not behave properly]

I wish she would behave herself at weddings - I expect that she will behave better from now on [ in the future]
Am I wrong? If I am wrong , please tell me, but I have taken into consideration the rule on sequence of tenses with "past tense " and " would/should/could.." or doesn`t it work here?
e.g. He told me he would do his homework the following day.

Thank you
See you,

[Passionwagon]

Thank you!

You are always welcome Passionwagon


See you

[isaravanan]

i wish i live in italy.
i wish you did not have to leave now.

a doubt..
i wish i live in italy means he want to live in italy?that is he like to go there?

than

i wish you did not have to leave now.
means somebody tells to him, dont go there?

[Humble]

Hi, Sheena,
I think the sequence of tenses does not work with I wish:
I wish she behaved herself.
I wished she behaved herself.
If you talk abt sth in the past it is
I wish she had behaved properly at yesterday’s party.
He wished he had booked the ticket in advance.
Regards

Yes, you are right Humble but I did not know how to explain it. Anyway, your answers are correct and mine, as well.


Thank you.

[DavyBCN]

All 3 of these work_

1. I wish she were better behaved
2. I wish she behaved better
3. I wish she would behave better.

They all express both a regret (she behaves badly) with a wish (for her to behave better).

You can change "I wish" to "if only" and keep the same meaning.