Wishes: 'wish' and 'if only'

Do you know how to use wish and if only to talk about things you would like to change? Enhance your knowledge with a lesson given below and the grammar explanation to guide you better.

Look at these examples to see how wish and if only are used.

• That neighbor plays music too loud! I wish he'd turn it down.

• I wish I had more time to travel.

• If only I hadn't missed the bus. Now I'm late for work!

• I wish they would stop leaving their trash on the street.

Grammar explanation - Wish and If Only

We use wish and if only to talk about things that we would like to be different in either the present or the past. If only is usually a bit stronger than wish.

1. In the present

We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation we would like to be different.

• I wish you didn’t spend so much time on your phone.

• If only we had more support from our team.

• He wishes he could find a better job.

2. In the past

We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about something we would like to change about the past.

• They wish they hadn't missed the concert. It was a fantastic show.

• If only I’d taken that job offer last year.

3. Expressing annoyance

We can use wish + would(n't) to show that we are annoyed with what someone or something does or doesn't do. We often feel that they are unlikely or unwilling to change.

• I wish you wouldn't leave your shoes in the hallway.

• I wish it would stop snowing. The roads are so dangerous now.

• She wishes he’d listen more when she talks. They have a lot of misunderstandings.

Try another grammar lesson