Wish Clauses - Present Time
The
Present Time
"Wish
Clauses"
are used to talk about our regrets. We have some situations we don't
like and we
would like to change them. These situations may be in the
present, future
or past.
Now, we are going to
learn the present
time - wish clauses in English.
How
to form a wish clause sentence for the present:
Rule 1
For the Present Tenses
or modals
, we use the
Simple Past Tense or Past
Modals:
- (Situation: I know the truth.)
I
wish I didn't know
the truth.
- (Situation: She drinks cold water.) I wish she didn't drink cold
water.
- (Situation: He can't swim.) He wishes he could
swim.
Rule 2
If our
situation is negative, we make a positive wish clause.
- (Negative Situation:
They don't live
in this city.) We wish they lived
in this city.
Rule 3
If our
situation is positive, we make a negative wish clause.
- (Positive Situation:
Mary tells lies.) Her parents wish Mary didn't tell lies.
Rule 4
We
usually use "were" instead
of "was" in wish
clauses.
- (Situation: I am sick.) I wish I weren't sick.
Example Sentences:
Present
Situation |
Our wishes |
I am not ready for the
test.
She isn't at
home.
They are coming with us.
Ted is working now.
It's
snowing.
I don't know her phone
number.
Mike tells lies all the
time.
He doesn't trust
me.
It rains a lot here.
He hates me.
Sam has to stay home
tonight.
I can't speak
English. |
I wish I were ready for the
test.
We wish she were at home.
Sam wishes they weren't coming with
us.
He wishes Ted weren't working now.
I wish it weren't snowing.
I wish I knew her phone
number.
My friends wish Mike didn't tell lies.
I wish he trusted me.
Sally and Tom wish it didn't rain a lot
here.
I wish he didn't hate me.
I wish Sam didn't have to stay
home.
I wish I could speak English.
|
Listen to the lesson audio:
More Lessons on "Causatives"
Exercises