English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 41: Wish

You can say 'I wish you luck / all the best / a happy birthday' etc.:
  • I wish you all the best in the future.
  • I saw Mark before the exam and he wished me luck.

We say 'wish somebody something' (luck / a happy birthday etc.). But you cannot say 'I wish that something happens'. We use hope in this situation. For example:
  • I'm sorry you're not well. I hope you feel better soon. (not I wish you feel)

Compare I wish and I hope:
  • I wish you a pleasant stay here.
  • I hope you have a pleasant stay here. (not I wish you have)

We also use wish to say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it. When we use wish in this way, we use the past (knew/lived etc.), but the meaning is present:
  • I wish I knew what to do about the problem. (I don't know and I regret this)
  • I wish you didn't have to go so soon. (you have to go)
  • Do you wish you lived near the sea? (you don't live near the sea)
  • Jack's going on a trip to Mexico soon. I wish I was going too. (I'm not going)

To say that we regret something in the past, we use wish + had ... (had known / had said) etc.:
  • I wish I'd known about the party. I would have gone if I'd known. (I didn't know)
  • It was a stupid thing to say. I wish I hadn't said it. (I said it)

For more examples, see Units 39 and 40.

I wish I could (do something) = I regret that I cannot do it:
  • I'm sorry I have to go. I wish I could stay longer. (but I can't)
  • I've met that man before. I wish I could remember his name. (but I can't)

I wish I could have (done something) = I regret that I could not do it:
  • I hear the party was great. I wish I could have gone. (but I couldn't go)

You can say 'I wish (somebody) would (do something)'. For example:

It's been raining all day. Tanya doesn't like it. She says:
I wish it would stop raining.

Tanya would like the rain to stop, but this will probably not happen.

We use I wish ... would when we would like something to happen or change. Usually, the speaker doesn't expect this to happen.


We often use I wish ... would to complain about a situation:
  • The phone has been ringing for five minutes. I wish somebody would answer it.
  • I wish you'd do (= you would do) something instead of just sitting and doing nothing.

You can use I wish ... wouldn't ... to complain about things that people do repeatedly:
  • I wish you wouldn't keep interrupting me. (= please don't interrupt me)

We use I wish ... would ... to say that we want something to happen. But we do not use I wish ... would ... to say how we would like things to be. Compare:
  • I wish Sarah would come. (= I want her to come)
    but  I wish Sarah was (or were) here now. (not I wish Sarah would be)
  • I wish somebody would buy me a car.
    but  I wish I had a car. (not I wish I would have)

41.1 Put in wish(ed) or hope(d).

  1. I (1) you a pleasant stay here.
  2. Enjoy your holiday. I (2) __________ you have a great time.
  3. Goodbye. I (3) __________ you all the best.
  4. We said goodbye to each other and (4) __________ each other luck.
  5. We're going to have a picnic tomorrow, so I (5) __________ the weather is nice.
  6. I (6) __________ you luck in your new job. I (7) __________ it works out well for you.

41.2 What do you say in these situations? Write sentences with I wish ... would ....
For the following situations, write sentences 6,7 and 8 with I wish ... wouldn't ....

  1. It's raining. You want to go out, but not in the rain.
    You say: .
  2. You're waiting for Jane. She's late and you're getting impatient.
    You say to yourself: I wish __________ .
  3. You're looking for a job - so far without success. Nobody will give you a job.
    You say: I wish somebody __________ .
  4. You can hear a baby crying. It's been crying for a long time and you're trying to study.
    You say: __________ .
  5. Brian has been wearing the same clothes for years. You think he needs some new clothes.
    You say to Brian: __________ .
  6. Your friend drives very fast. You don't like this.
    You say to your friend : I wish you __________ .
  7. Joe leaves the door open all the time. This annoys you.
    You say to Joe : __________ .
  8. A lot of people drop litter in the street. You don't like this.
    You say: I wish people __________ .

41.3 Are these sentences right or wrong? Correct them where necessary.

  1. _____ I wish Sarah would be here now.
    __________
  2. _____ I wish you would listen to me.
    __________
  3. _____ I wish I would have more free time.
    __________
  4. _____ I wish our flat would be a bit bigger.
    __________
  5. _____ I wish the weather would change.
    __________
  6. _____ I wish you wouldn't complain all the time.
    __________
  7. _____ I wish everything wouldn't be so expensive.
    __________

41.4 Put the verb into the correct form.

  1. It was a stupid thing to say. I wish I it. (I / not / say)
  2. I'm fed up with this rain. I wish . (it / stop)
  3. It's a difficult question. I wish __________ the answer. (I / know)
  4. I should have listened to you. I wish __________ your advice. (I / take)
  5. You're lucky to be going away. I wish __________ with you. (I / can / come)
  6. I have no energy at the moment. I wish __________ so tired. (I / not / be)
  7. Aren't they ready yet? I wish __________ . (they / hurry up)
  8. It would be nice to stay here longer. I wish __________ to go now. (we / not / have)
  9. When we were in London last year, we didn't have time to see all the things we wanted to see. I wish __________ longer. (we / can / stay)
  10. It's freezing today. I wish __________ so cold. I hate cold weather. (it / not / be)
  11. Joe still doesn't know what he wants to do. I wish __________ . (he / decide)
  12. I really didn't enjoy the party. I wish __________ . (we / not / go)

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