I wish | If Only

We use - I wish | If only to show that we would like things to be different.​

What is 'unreal past'?

The past tense is sometimes used in English to refer to an unreal situation. So, although the verb tense is in the past, we are actually talking about something that didn't happen.

This is often the case in conditional sentences when we are talking about a hypothetical situation that might exist now or at any time. We call this use of the past tense "the unreal past".

- If I won 1 million dollars, I would quit my job and travel around the world. (It still hasn't happened)

Words & Expressions?

The expressions if, supposing, if only, what if can be used to introduce hypothetical situations and followed by a the simple past tense to indicate that the condition they introduce is imaginary. It is also used after the verb to wish; and after the expression I'd rather.

BY-SA Nina Paley

WE USE: IF ONLY / WISH + THE SIMPLE PAST  TO TALK ABOUT THINGS WE WANT TO BE TRUE NOW, BUT AREN'T.

- Oh, no, it's raining. I wish I had an umbrella. (but I don't)

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USE WERE INSTEAD OF WAS.

- We are having so much fun. I wish you were here. (but you aren't)

- Sometimes I wish I were a child again. (but I'm not a child any more)

WE USE WISH / IF ONLY + PAST PERFECT TO EXPRESS OUR REGRETS ABOUT THE EVENTS IN THE PAST - THINGS WE WISH WE HAD OR HADN'T DONE.

- I wish I hadn't married him. Our marriage is a disaster. (I did marry him and I thing it was a mistake, so I wish I hadn't done that)

- I wish I had studied more. (But I didn't study, so I didn't get a good grade)

WE USE WISH / IF ONLY TO EXPRESS A DESIRE FOR SOMEONE OR SOMETHING TO ACT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WE OFTEN COMPLAIN OR EXPRESS OUR REGRETS IN THIS WAY:​

- I wish you would stop shouting.

- I wish you would stop smoking.

- Everyone wishes that you would go home.

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* NEVER EVER USE WILL WITH WISH: I wish I will become rich. (would)

WE USE WISH + WOULDN'T FOR THINGS THAT DO OR WILL HAPPEN, OR TO EXPRESS AN ORDER AND A CRITICAL REQUEST:

- I wish you wouldn't keep making those stupid questions all the time. (But it is raining and it probably will rain tomorrow)​

compare:

- I wish you wouldn't drive so fast. (similar to: Please, don't drive so fast)​

- I wish you didn't drive so fast. (similar to: I'm sorry I drive so fast)

- I wish you wouldn't work on Sundays. (Why don't you stop working on Sundays?)

- I wish you didn't work on Sundays. (It's a pity that you work on Sundays)

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BY-SA Nina Paley

* NEVER EVER USE CAN AFTER WISH: I wish I can do this. (could)

WE USE IF ONLY + WOULD

to talk about the future:

- If only it would stop raining. We could go out.

- If only somebody would phone me.