I wish I will help you

Question

I wish I could help you.I wish I will help you.I wish I would help you.I wish I can help you.Please correct my sentence.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

I wish I could help you.
I wish I will help you.
I wish I would help you.
I wish I can help you.

Hi, gary.

Only the first one works for me.

If you change "wish" to "hope," the situation reverses.

~~I hope I could help you~~. I hope I was able to help you. I hoped I could help you.

I hope I will help you. I hope this will help you. I hope I will be able to help you.

~~I hope I would help you.~~ I wish this would help you. I hoped I would help you.

I hope I can help you. (okay) I hope this can help you.

User_gary · Answer

Thank you Avangi.

So it seems "hope" can be used in anyway we want, but not wish.

CalifJim · Answer

User_garyI wish I could help you.
I wish I will help you.
I wish I would help you.
I wish I can help you.
Please correct my sentence.A. After the words "I wish I" you cannot have will, can, shall, should, may, or must. The same is true for "I wish you", "They wish I", "You wish they", and similar constructions.

*I wish you should ... (No.)
*I wish I can ... (No.)
*He wishes she may ... (No.)
*We wish they must ... (No.)
*Do you wish I will ...? (No.)

B. Further, you cannot have would in those contexts where the two subjects are the same, as in "I wish I", "You wish you", or "They wish they", except where the subject is not the agent of an action.

*I wish I would do the dishes. (No.)
I wish I would win the lottery. (OK.)

On the basis of the two principles outlined above, only I wish I could help you is correct. The others are wrong.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

CalifJimA. After the words "I wish I" you cannot have will, can, shall, should, may, or must. The same is true for "I wish you", "They wish I", "You wish they", and similar constructions.

B. Further, you cannot have would in those contexts where the two subjects are the same, as in "I wish I", "You wish you", or "They wish they", except where the subject is not the agent of an action.

On the basis of the two principles outlined above

Hi, Jim,

I struggle with the conceptual difference between principles and rules.
While I'm completely comfortable with the guides you've set forth, I'm uncomfortable calling them "principles."

I appreciate that for most people there may be no distinction.

Best regards, - A.

CalifJim · Answer

AvangiI'm uncomfortable calling them "principles."

What term would you prefer? Let's just call them that!

"rule" is so harsh, though!

-- especially before it has been thoroughly researched, tested, and verified!

They don't have the ring of principles, though, do they? They're too specific for that. More like guidelines.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Hey, thanks for answering this!

It just struck me: How can a list of rules be "principle #1," and another list of rules be "principle #2"?

It's probably okay. I'm just not used to hearing it put that way. I think of "a principles" as capable of being expressed by a single "formula-type" statement, rather than a collection of unrelated statements, which I'd call "rules."

Do you feel a "principle" has less weight than a "rule"? I would have thought the other way around. I could make up a rule right now, couldn't I?
I think of a principle as being closer to a law then to a rule. ("law" as in "natural law")

If you happen back this way, CJ, could you please kick me loose from the following silly thread?

My edit is stuck!

Thanks!

CalifJim · Answer

Avangicould you please kick me loose

I'm technically challenged. I have no idea what you're talking about. Please. Thank you.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Sorry. When the edit function gets stuck, it can be reset by any Mod action, such as editing a letter and putting it back, or voting a post up and back down.

- A.

BTW, re being challenged, your pants are also on fire.

(According to Punky and Lana, it resets the cache.)

CalifJim · Answer

So let me get this straight:

1. You tell me which of your posts is stuck.
2. I go to that post and vote it up.
3. Then I vote it down.
4. Then I write back to you and say, "Done!"

Right?

By the way, I did that on all of your posts in this thread.

Done!

~~Let me know if it worked.~~
Please let me know if it worked. Thank you.

Jim

Avangi · Answer

Right on! [Y]  Thanks.

I wish I will help you

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