0
J Lin Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
I wish I had/ could have
Is there a difference between these two?
e.g.
I wish I had a car.
I wish I could have a car
e.g.
I wish I had a car.
I wish I could have a car
Top answer
Yes. J Lin I wish I had a car. In this sentence, you have a desire to have a car.
- Yes.
- J Lin I wish I had a car.
- In this sentence, you have a desire to have a car.
- J Lin I wish I could have a car In this sentence, you express a conditional possibility or ability.
- You desire a to have a car BUT something is preventing it.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
2 Answers
0
Yes.
J LinI wish I had a car.In this sentence, you have a desire to have a car.
J LinI wish I could have a carIn this sentence, you express a conditional possibility or ability. You desire a to have a car BUT something is preventing it.
00
"Could" shows whether someone has the capability (is able) to do something in this context.
While the sentences are somewhat similar (the implication is that the speaker is unable to have a car), in the second sentence, there may be more of a barrier to car ownership.
While the sentences are somewhat similar (the implication is that the speaker is unable to have a car), in the second sentence, there may be more of a barrier to car ownership.
0
Related Questions