Ibn Soulaymane Arrassmouki Unit 9 Grammar II
Technical High School Past Wishes and Conditional Type 3
Part II. Past Wishes
To refer to a
past wish
, use:Wish/wished (that) or if only + past perfect
Wish/wished (that) or if only + Could/would/might have + past participle (perfect modals) Generally, a past wish is a wish that did not come true; it’s like if we are hypothesising about how a past action would have been different in the past or regretting a past action.
That is to say, we can use 'wish / If only' with the past perfect to talk about regrets from the past. These are things that have already happened but we wish they'd happened in a different way. This use of 'wish' is very similar to the third conditional. (Conditional Type 3)
• I wish that I had studied harder at school. (I didn't study hard at school, and now I'm sorry about it.)
• I wish that I hadn't eaten so much yesterday! (But I did eat a lot yesterday. Now I think it wasn't a good idea.)
• I wish that the train had been on time. (But unfortunately the train was late, and so I missed my interview.)
• I wished / If only the weather would have been better. (But it wasn’t, it was terrible)
Other uses of 'wish' (Exceptions) Wish + to + infinitive:
We can use 'wish' with the infinitive to mean 'would like'. This is very formal. We don't usually use a continuous tense with 'wish' in this case.
• I wish to speak to the headmaster. (This means the same as 'I would like to speak to the headmaster'.)
• I wish to go now.
Wish + object + to + infinitive:
In the same way, we can use 'wish' with an object and an infinitive.
• I do not wish you to publish this article.
• I wish these people to leave.
N.B
(As a reminder)Wish + somebody + something
This is used mostly in set phrases.
• I wished him a happy birthday.
• They wished us Merry Christmas.
Part III. Conditional Type 3
Form
To form conditional Type 3 or Third Conditional Sentences use:
If + Subject + Past Perfect ,+ Subject + Would/could… have + Past Pariciple
If Clause Main Clause
Subject +Would/could… have + Past Pariciple + If + Subject + Past Perfect
Main Clause If Clause
É Example: If she had gone to art school, She would have become a painter.
The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.
Note the use of a comma when we start with the ‘if clause’.
É Example: She would have become a painter if she had gone to art school.
Note: Main clause and / or if clauses might be negative.
É Example: If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams. (But I (had) studied and passed)
Use
Conditional Type III sentences refer to past actions that could have happened in the past if a certain condition had been fulfilled. Things were different then, however. We just imagine, what would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled.
É Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation. Ð Some time in the past, I wanted to send an invitation to a friend. I didn't find her address, however. So in the end I didn't send her an invitation.
É Example: If John had had the money, he would have bought a Ferrari. Ð I knew John very well and I know that he never had much money, but he loved Ferraris. He would have loved to own a Ferrari, but he never had the money to buy one.
Ibn Soulaymane Arrassmouki Unit 9 Grammar I
Technical High School Expressing Wishes
Part I. Hopes Vs. Wishes
I’ll start by explaining the difference between hopes and wishes - both functionally/communicatively and grammatically.- Then, I’ll focus more on how present/future wishes are made. So, good luck and please stay focused throughout the lesson.
Hope Vs. Wish
If wish is “reaching for the stars,” then hope is “reaching for the sky.”
Pay attention to the different contexts of hope and wish in these examples.
I hope you pass the test. (possible)
I wish I could fly. (impossible) = If only I could fly.
I hope I get to work on time. (possible)
I wish I were a millionaire. (not likely) = If only I were a millionaire.
Hope
To express that you want something to happen in the future (not wanting a situation to be different, and not implying impatience or annoyance) hope is used instead of wish.
Examples
• I hope it’s sunny tomorrow. (very likely/possible)
• I hope the students will do well in their finals . (very likely/possible)
• I hope the kids are doing well at school. (very likely/possible)
• I hope I can answer all these grammar questions. (very likely/possible)
we use HOPE when we’re talking about desired outcomes/results that are very likely to happen. (possible)
Form
Hope + Present Simple /Present continuous /Future simple or can, may, shall, be going to … (Modals in their base forms)
Wish
We use WISH when we want a change of a circumstance or situation. In other words, when we want something to be different. (something that is very unlikely/almost impossible to happen)
Examples (If only can replace wish in the examples below)
• I wish I had a sports car. (It’s a bit hard to get a sports car given your current situation = possible but very unlikely to happen) / If only I had a sports car.
• I wish people weren’t going around spreading the virus. (This situation is hard to change since maybe most people are not following the rules/ unlikely to happen).
• I wish/If only I were rich. (But I’m not, and probably not working hard to be rich)
• I wish I didn’t have to wash my hands every 15 minutes. (a situation you have to deal with)
• I wish I could run the marathon. (But I’m usually out of breath running the shortest distances)
• I wish/If only you would be careful. (But you’re not, as usual)
Form
To form a present/future wish, use:
Wish or if only + past simple/past continuous.
I wish I were a billionaire. (But I’m not /it’s very unlikely) I wish it were raining today. (But it’s not / it’s very unlikely)
Wish or if only + could/would/might/(past forms of modals) + infinitive without to.
E. g: I wish my neighbours would stop bothering me.
N. B.
Ö
In the examples above (wishes), the situations are related to the present time but we’re using past forms of verbs to refer to them. (the past here is unreal but it expresses a mood, noting that these situation are very difficult to change and you just have to deal with/accept them as they are)Ö
Notice how “were” is used instead of “was” in present wishes.Exception: The way we use wish in some fixed expressions, like when we wish someone a happy Birthday, is different from the kind of wishes we’re targeting in this lesson.
In some contexts Wish and Hope can be interchangeable. However, Hope usually expresses desire that is possible. Wish, on the other hand, refers to an outcome that is not likely to happen.
Ibn Soulaymane Arrassmouki Unit 9: GRAMMAR Technical High School Wishes / Conditional Type 3
Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets.
Make present/future/past wishes or conditional type 3 sentences:
(Sometimes you can answer using different structures, especially for wishes)
1) I wish it hadn’t rained so much. The garden turned to mud. (rain negative) = Past wish.
2) If only I ……… there, I wouldn’t have got a fine. (park negative) = Past wish 3) I wish ………..……… hard for my last year’s finals. (I didn’t that’s why I failed) (study) = Past wish Notice that we usually regret the things we did in the past. So we use past wishes to regret past actions.
4) If only I ……… more time for hobbies. (have) = Present/Future wish 5) I wish it ……… more often in my hometown. (rain) = Present/Future wish 6) I wish I ……… to go to your nephew’s wedding. (have to negative) = Present/Fu. wish 7) I wish Samantha ……… bothering me. She is a naughty girl. (stop) = Present/Fu. wish 8) If only the kids ……… making noise. I’m really annoyed. (stop) = Present/Fu. wish 9) I wish you ……… so horrible to your brother. He is a really nice boy. (be negative) 10) I wish the council ……… that old house. It was part of the town’s heritage. (demolish negative) 11) If only I ……… the money to go to John’s wedding in the States. (have)
12) I wish I ……… her she has put on weight. She hates me now. (tell negative) = Regret (Past).
13) I wish you …………..……… to your mother like that. (speak negative) = Present/future wish 14) If only we …..……..……… a Hewlett Packard printer. The cartridges are so expensive. (buy negative)
= Regret (Past) / Regretting buying a Hewlett Packard printer in the past.
15) I wish George ………….………… so fast. It is only a matter of time before he kills someone. (drive negative)
= Present/future wish
1) Kevin caught the bus on time, but if he (miss) had missed the bus, he (be) would/could have been late for his appointment. (We’re imagining how things could have been different if he had missed the bus) 2) Bob didn’t write to me when he was on vacation, but if he ……… (know) my
address, he ……… (send) me postcard.
3) We didn’t buy the car because it was too expensive, but if it ……… (be) a little cheaper, we ……… (buy) it.
4) They didn’t go to her party, but if she ……… (invite) them, they
……… (go).
5) I didn’t know that Dave was in the hospital last week. If I ……… (know), I
……… (visit) him.
6) It was cold yesterday, but if it ……… (be) warmer, we ………
(go) to the beach.
7) I felt a little sick last night. If I ……… (feel) better, I ………
(go) to the movie with you.
Regrets
Wanting Change
Complaints
Mixed
Condit- ional Type 3 Instructions
8) Jane didn’t understand the homework. If she ……… (listen) to the teacher’s instructions , she ……… (know) what to do.
9) I’m sorry I was late. I forgot to set my alarm clock ……… (ring), I
……… (get) to the meeting on time.
10) The hockey tickets were all sold out. If there ……… (be) a ticket available, I
……… (go) to the game.
11) Our team lost the football game last night, but if George ……… (play), we probably ……… (win).
Ibn Soulaymane Arrassmouki Unit 9: GRAMMAR 2 Technical High School Wishes / Conditional Type 3
I. Present/Future and Past Wishes
Exercise. 1 Turn the statements into wishes. Use correct tenses.
N.B. if you have a verb in the present simple tense/… (Make a present wish: wish/if only+past simple/…) Ö Example: I don’t understand this lesson. I wish I understood this lesson.
if you have a verb in the past simple tense/… (Make a past wish: wish/if only+past perfect/…) Ö Example: I lost my keys. I wish / If only I hadn’t lost my keys.
Notice how affirmative forms turn into negative ones and vice versa, to sustain the same meaning in the sentences below (example: if you don’t have something you’d wish you had it). Review the detailed lessons before answering.
1) I don’t have a bigger house. If only …... . 2) George isn’t here and I need him. I wish …... . 3) My house doesn’t get sun. I wish …... . 4) I didn’t bring your camera (I needed it to take some photographs).
If only …...
5) A lot of people drop litter in the street. You don’t like this. What do you say?
I wish …...
6) Ahmed missed the lesson yesterday
Ahmed wished/wishes ...
7) Leila didn’t learn English in high school. (She can’t communicate with foreigners.)
Leila wished/wishes ...
8) Ali didn’t revise well for the exam. (He finds it a bit challenging.)
Ahmed wished/wishes ...
II. Conditional Type 3:
If + Subject + Past Perfect ,+ Subject + Would/could… have + Past Pariciple Subject +Would/could… have + Past Pariciple + If + Subject + Past Perfect
Exercise. 2 Make conditional Type 3 statements.
1) The weather was not fine, so I stayed at home.
If ………..…………..………..………..
2) I didn’t have money, so I couldn’t buy the book.
If ………..………..………..………..
3) We went to the beach, but it rained and we got wet. I
f it ………..………..………..
4) She touched my new vase, and broke it.
If she ………..………..………..
5) We didn’t buy the house we wanted because it was too far from the city.
We ………..………..………..
6) Peter twisted his ankle because he fell.
Peter ………..………..………..
7) We didn’t move to London last year and so I didn’t learn English.
If we ……….………..………..………..
8) My parents didn’t buy the car as it was too expensive.
If ……….………..………..………..
9) His sister didn’t get the job because she didn’t have a driving license.
His sister ………..………..………..
