wish clauses

Status
Not open for further replies.

aysaa

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
Hello,

Could you tell me whether we can use 'would' with all the stative verbs while using 'wish clauses'?

-I wish you would want to be a doctor.

-I wish Real Madrid would be the champion this year.

-I wish she'd be quiet.

Thanks...
 
Last edited:

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Hello,

Could you tell me whether we can use 'would' with all the stative verbs while using 'wish clauses'?

-I wish you would want to be a doctor.

-I wish Real Madrid would be the champion this year.

-I wish she'd be quiet.

Thanks...
The short answer is, no we can't.
Edit: I missed the third example, which is fine. I read the post too quickly. Sorry.:oops:
 
Last edited:

aysaa

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
Thanks for the answer...

1) "Would have" expresses dissatisfaction and emphasizes someone's unwillingness to do something.

-She wishes the store would have had the shoe in her size. (She is unhappy they are unwilling or have chosen not to restock or carry her size.)

-I wish you would have let me know.(I am displeased you were unwilling to communicate.)

I think we can use stative verbs with 'would have Ving', is that right?

2) -I wish I /she/ he was home in my country.

-I know we use generally 'were', but I want to ask whether we can use 'was' in this case or not.

3) -I wish I was/were able to go with you.

Can we use 'was/were able to' instead of 'could' in this case?

Thanks...
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
1) "Would have" expresses dissatisfaction and emphasizes someone's unwillingness to do something. Who told you that?

-She wishes the store would have had the shoe in her size. X (She is unhappy they are unwilling or have chosen not to restock or carry her size.) She wishes the store would re-order/carry her size.

-I wish you would have let me know. X (I am displeased you were unwilling to communicate.) I wish you had let me know.

I think we can use stative verbs with 'would have Ving', is that right? If you think so, give us an example, and we'll see.

2) -I wish I /she/ he was home in my country. :tick:

-I know we use generally 'were', but I want to ask whether we can use 'was' in this case or not. Many people do. I trust that you realise that you are regretting the present absence of 'I/she/he' from home.

3) -I wish I was/were able to go with you.

Can we use 'was/were able to' instead of 'could' in this case? Yes
5
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Thanks...

Wishes: expressing wishes and regrets

I saw that in this page. Could you please check it out?

Personally, I think "I wish you would have remembered to take the dog out for a walk" sounds very unnatural.

I would say "I wish you had remembered to take the dog out for a walk".

It's possible this is another AmE vs BrE difference.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
BNC has 51 'I wish (pronoun) had (V-en)' citations, and only 2 'I wish (pronoun) would have (V-en)' citations.

In other words, you will hear/see "I wish you had remembered to take the dog out for a walk" 25 times as often as you will hear/see "I wish you would have remembered to take the dog out for a walk" in BrE.
 

aysaa

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
Thanks for all the answers, but I have been really confused about it because of the internet pages. I often have seen the sentences such as 'Would -future - I wish you would be quiet. (= Your talking irritates me.)'
But some internet pages and you say that we can't use stative verbs with 'would'.

I wish, if only - English
 
Last edited:

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Thanks for all the answers, but I have been really confused about it because of the internet pages. I often have seen the sentences such as 'Would -future - I wish you would be quiet. (= Your talking irritates me.)'
But some internet pages and you say that we can't use stative verbs with 'would'.
This is one of the problems that crop up with labelling. In my opinion, there are no such things as 'stative verbs; there are many simply verbs which are used mainly statively. BE, normally used statively, can be used dynamically with a meaning similar to 'behave':

He is being good at the moment. / He is behaving well at the moment.
I wish you would be quiet. / I wish you would make less noise.
 

philo2009

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2009
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Hello,


-I wish she'd be quiet.

This example is acceptable, since 'be' here functions dynamically (cf. She is being quiet at the moment.)
 

aysaa

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
Can I add one more question?

I have read this : Wish + object is not normally possible without a following infinitive. Wish is used with two objects in some fixed expressions of good wishes.

I want/would like an appointment with the manager. (NOT I wish an appointment …) Is that true?

Can't I say like that?

-I wish a bike from God.

-What did you wish?
I wished a bike.
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Can I add one more question?

I have read this : Wish + object is not normally possible without a following infinitive. Wish is used with two objects in some fixed expressions of good wishes.

I want/would like an appointment with the manager. (NOT I wish an appointment …) Is that true?

Can't I say like that?

-I wish a bike from God.

-What did you wish?
I wished a bike.
No, that's not correct.
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
"I wish she'd be quiet."
This example is acceptable, since 'be' here functions dynamically (cf. She is being quiet at the moment.)
Yes it is, I missed it in my first post which I have now edited. Sorry, aysaa.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top