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Kilimanjaro Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
I wish he were/ would be
1. I wish Hakan ---- taller.
A)were
B)would be
2. I wish Hakan ---- silent.
A)were
B)would be
I go for 1.A 2.A, in that "would" is not followed by the verbs "be" and "have". I might be wrong, though. I'd like to hear your comments. Thanks alot.
A)were
B)would be
2. I wish Hakan ---- silent.
A)were
B)would be
I go for 1.A 2.A, in that "would" is not followed by the verbs "be" and "have". I might be wrong, though. I'd like to hear your comments. Thanks alot.
Top answer
I agree with the first one, but feel #b is correct for the second. You would like Hakan to be quiet.
- I agree with the first one, but feel #b is correct for the second.
- You would like Hakan to be quiet.
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11 Answers
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I agree with the first one, but feel #b is correct for the second. You would like Hakan to be quiet.
00
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I would say:
1a) Fine.
1b) Not used.
2a) Slightly unusual, of a person; it suggests that H. should be by nature silent. But if you were a burglar troubled by squeaky footwear, you might say "I wish my shoes were silent".
2b) Fine; H. is talking, and you want him to stop.
Wild surmise:
a) I wish X were Y.
b) I wish X would be Y.
1a) Fine.
1b) Not used.
2a) Slightly unusual, of a person; it suggests that H. should be by nature silent. But if you were a burglar troubled by squeaky footwear, you might say "I wish my shoes were silent".
2b) Fine; H. is talking, and you want him to stop.
Wild surmise:
a) I wish X were Y.
b) I wish X would be Y.
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Wild surmise:
a) I wish X were Y.
b) I wish X would be Y.
Does b) relate only to states over which X has some control?
It works for me. It seems that would be's are imperatives once removed.
I wish my sister [were / would be] more discreet about her *** life.
I wish my refrigerator [were / *would be] a color that matched the oth
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CalifJim wrote the following:
I wish my refrigerator [were / *would be] a color that matched the other appliances.
11. I wish my refrigerator were a colour that matched the other appliances.
22. I wish my refrigerator would be a colour that matched the other appliances.
I am trying to decipher the grammatical aspects of the two sentences.
I wish my refrigerator [were / *would be] a color that matched the other appliances.
11. I wish my refrigerator were a colour that matched the other appliances.
22. I wish my refrigerator would be a colour that matched the other appliances.
I am trying to decipher the grammatical aspects of the two sentences.
00
Rotter,
I think you misunderstand the use of the asterisk (*).
In giving examples of sentences, linguists and grammarians place an asterisk in front of sentences, phrases, and words which are ungrammatical. So the asterisk means: "This is wrong. Don't use this."
Your second sentence should be written to show that it contains a grammatical mistake, like this:
I think you misunderstand the use of the asterisk (*).
In giving examples of sentences, linguists and grammarians place an asterisk in front of sentences, phrases, and words which are ungrammatical. So the asterisk means: "This is wrong. Don't use this."
Your second sentence should be written to show that it contains a grammatical mistake, like this:
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CalifJimWild surmise:
a) I wish X were Y.
b) I wish X would be Y.
Does b) relate only to states over which X has some control?
It works for me. It seems that would be's are imperatives once removed.
I wish my sister [were / would be] more discreet about her *** life.
I wish my refrigerator [were / *would
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CalifJim wrote the following:
In giving examples of sentences, linguists and grammarians place an asterisk in front of sentences, phrases, and words which are ungrammatical. So the asterisk means: "This is wrong. Don't use this."
I didn't know it. Thank you for telling me.
You are the first person to teach me the meaning
In giving examples of sentences, linguists and grammarians place an asterisk in front of sentences, phrases, and words which are ungrammatical. So the asterisk means: "This is wrong. Don't use this."
I didn't know it. Thank you for telling me.
You are the first person to teach me the meaning
00
CalifJim wrote the following:
In giving examples of sentences, linguists and grammarians place an asterisk in front of sentences, phrases, and words which are ungrammatical. So the asterisk means: "This is wrong. Don't use this."
I didn't know it. Thank you for telling me.
You are the first person to teach me the meaning
In giving examples of sentences, linguists and grammarians place an asterisk in front of sentences, phrases, and words which are ungrammatical. So the asterisk means: "This is wrong. Don't use this."
I didn't know it. Thank you for telling me.
You are the first person to teach me the meaning
00
The use of the initial asterisk to show ungrammatical structures is standard for all languages and by all linguists internationally.
CJ
CJ
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