You can express wishes about the present, past and future. We use "wish" to say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it to be.
| I wish wished | -1 were/was beautiful. - Как бы мне хотелось быть красивой. - we knew Sue's address. - Как жаль , что мы не знаем адреса Сью. -itwasn't raining. - Жаль , что идет дождь. - you didn't work so much. - Я бы не хотела , чтобы вы так много работали . | PRESENT |
| - I had brought my camera. - Жаль , что я не взял с собой фотоаппарат. - the hotel had been better. - Жаль только, что гостиница была такой плохой. | PAST | |
| - they could come to see us tomorrow. - Как жаль , что они не смогут зайти к нам завтра. | FUTURE | |
| - someone would answer that telephone! - Да снимите уж кто-нибудь трубку! - the music would stop! - Когда же прекратится эта музыка! - you would give her my message. - He могли бы вы передать ей мою просьбу. | complaints annoyance request |
* It is possible only if the subject of the principal clause (I wish) is not the same as the subject of the object clause (he, you, /r would do it).
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Here are some more examples, underneath each there is a sentence expressing the same wish in the past.
a) I wish I knew how to drive a car.
I wish I had known how to drive a car in 1975.
b) I wish today was a holiday.
I wish yesterday had been a holiday.
c) I wish I could travel round the world.
I wish I could have travelled round the world when I was a young man. (The speaker is not young, so he is speaking about the past.)
| ( Как ) жаль , что его нет с нами. ( Как ) мне хотелось бы , чтобы он был с нами. Хорошо было бы , чтобы он был здесь. |
It is rendered into Russian as follows: □ I wish he were here.
EXERCISES
Ex. 1.(B, С )
I. Read these sentences, the words in brackets make the meaning fuller.
a) I wish I knew how to drive a car. (At the time of speaking, the speaker doesn't know how
to drive a car.)
Or: I don't know how to drive a car. I wish I did.
b) I wish today was a holiday. (But today is not a holiday.)
c) I wish I had more time to read. (At the time of speaking the speaker hasn't got much time to read.)
d) I wish I could travel round the world. (At the time of speaking, the speaker can't travel round the world. Perhaps he hasn't got enough money, or time.)
e) The father told his children, "I wish you wouldn't make so much noise. I've got a headache." (when the father says this, his children are making a lot of noise.)
II. Add to each of the following examples 2 sentences, both beginning: "I wish ...."
Example 1:1 don't understand this question.
Answer: I wish I did. I wish I understood this question. Example 2: It's still raining.
Answer: I wish it wasn't. I wish it wasn't still raining. Example 3: My father can't give me more pocket money.
Answer: I wish he could. I wish he could give me more pocket money. 1. My brother doesn't have a very long holiday. 2. I can't play the piano. 3. My tooth is aching. 4.1 sometimes make careless mistakes. 5. He's not coming to see me today. 6.1 can't swim well. 7.1 don't know how to answer this question. 8. He always drives too fast. 9.1 don't speak English fluently. 10.1 can't go to the cinema this evening. 11. The teacher gives us a lot of homework. 12. My father doesn't come home from work early. 13.1 live a long way from the Institute. 14. Our television set is broken. 15.1 can't sell my old bicycle.
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Ex. 2. (В, С) Practise the following according to the models.
Model 1: A. I know five languages.
B. I wish I knew five languages, (stress on the second "I") Or: B. If only I knew five languages! (this form is much more dramatic and less generally useful then the "I wish" form)
1. I have a flat here.
2. I live near my work.
3. I have plenty of time for reading.
4. I understand it.
5. My son writes every week.
6. My house looks out on a park.
7. I can take a day off any time.
Model2: A. I asked Bill.
B. I wish you'd asked Tom too. Or: B. If only you'd asked Tom too. ("had" is normally contracted here)
1. I invited Paul.
2. I stopped Mary.
3. I rang Ann.
4. I wrote to Alex.
5. I spoke to John.
6. I warned Philip.
7. I voted for Peter.
Model 3: Take more care. - / wish you would take more care. Don't shout at me. - / wish you wouldn't shout at me.
1. Don't throw rubbish on the floor.
2. Listen to me.
3. Don't waste so much time.
4. Try to answer my questions.
5. Get up earlier.
6. Don't be so impatient.
7. Look where you are going.
8. Speak more clearly.
9. Don't open the windows.
10. Don't walk so fast.
11. Write more carefully.
12. Don't come into the room without knocking.
13. Help me to move this cupboard.
14. Keep quiet.
Ex. 3. (В, С) Add to each of the following a sentence, beginning: "/ wish...". The words in brackets will help you to form your sentences.
1. We lost the game yesterday, (win) 2.1 sat at the back of the hall, and couldn't hear his speech very well, (every word) 3. The sea is rough, we can't sail to the island, (calm) 4. There were no taxis, so I had to walk from the station, (find) 5.1 went to bed very late last night, and I'm half asleep this morning. (solate)6.1 could onlyanswerthree of the questions
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at the last examination, (all of them) 7. The box was heavy, I couldn't carry it. (help me) 8. My father gave me some good advice, but I didn't take it. (his advice) 9. One of my friends went to London for a holiday last summer, but I couldn't go. (with him) 10. Why didn't you watch the cat? It ate all the fish. I'm so angry with you. (more attentive) 11. There was so much noise in the streets last night that I couldn't sleep well, (better) 12. There was a very good film on last week, but I didn't see it. (read the program) 13. We went for a picnic yesterday, but it rained all the time, (so hard) 14.1 was lazy and wasted my time when I was at school, (harder) 15.1 didn't understand what he said yesterday (louder) 16. This house is very nice and comfortable. I'd like to buy it, but it is very expensive, (less expensive)
Ex. 4. (C) Rewrite the following, using a "wish" construction (phrases in brackets should be omitted).
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