0
Ticce Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

I wish - ed

When we say

I wished I were you.

Are there two ways to undersatnd it?

1) Once in the past I wanted to be you. (INDICATIVE)

2) I would want NOW to be you. (SUBJUNTIVE)

If the second one is possible then could you explain how we can tell one from another?

If a person says - I wished I were you.

How can I understand whether he means 1 or 2?
  

Top answer

Nope. In the past I wished I were you. In the present I wish I were you.

— Anonymous

  • Nope.
  • In the past I wished I were you.
  • In the present I wish I were you.
  • BTW, Brits say I wish I was.
  • Some Americans do too, but here it is considered to be incorrect.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

8 Answers
0
Nope.

In the past I wished I were you.

In the present I wish I were you.

BTW, Brits say I wish I was. Some Americans do too, but here it is considered to be incorrect.
0
0
Ok. Well, if there is an only way to understand it then it's great!

But if we want to make it unreal, how do we do it?

Are these measures helping?

If I wished I were you. (Would it be subjunctive with wish)

I would wish I were you. (I think it could happen that I should/would want to be you)

????
0
0
If I wished I were you, I would be unhappy because I'm not you.

Yup. Subjunctive.

If I did x, I would do y.

I would wish I were you if I thought it would make me happy.

Same thing in reverse.

I would do x if I did y.
0
0
TicceI wished I were you.

Are there two ways to undersatnd it?
As a young child in New England (US), I found that my classmates often said "Boy, I wished (wish't) I had one of those!", intending present tense. (Little kids wish a lot!)

My mother would not allow it!
0
0
Avangi, thank you for sharing such an intriguing episode from you childhood))))

So, you are positive saying that

I wished - CAN mean, upon certain circumstances, I would wish
0
0
Well - - - I'm saying that it's used and understood that way by a certain population.
But I believe it's considered incorrect.
0
0
I'm not sure I even know what you're after, but I agree with Anon:

If I wished I were you, I would be unhappy because I'm not you.

I would wish I were you if I thought it would make me happy.

Otherwise, I wished is simply a past event.
0
0
Mister MicawberI'm not sure I even know what you're after
?????
0

Related Questions