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Pructus Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
I wish it rained.
Hi,
Two difficult questions.
1. He is drinking at home which is not his usual behavior. He usually drinks at a bar. How can this be expressed?
Can we do it like, "He is drinking at home, out of his routine"?
I know that we can put it, "He is drinking at home but he usually drinks at a bar".
But that seems to be too long. Is there a way to put it simple and short?
2. How about the following four sentences. Are these all wrong? Or all correct?
I guess all these are correct, but someone argues that all these are wrong because of "now" and "tomorrow".
a. I wish it rained very much now.
b. I wish it didn't rain now.
c. I wish she came to my birthday party tomorrow.
d. I wish they slept now.
That "someone" also argues that "e. I wish it rained" means not "I hope that it will rain now" but "I hope this country is not the country that has rains". This argument is hard to agree on. I guess that "I wish it rained" simply means "I hope it will rain now".
I need native speaker's sense here....
Two difficult questions.
1. He is drinking at home which is not his usual behavior. He usually drinks at a bar. How can this be expressed?
Can we do it like, "He is drinking at home, out of his routine"?
I know that we can put it, "He is drinking at home but he usually drinks at a bar".
But that seems to be too long. Is there a way to put it simple and short?
2. How about the following four sentences. Are these all wrong? Or all correct?
I guess all these are correct, but someone argues that all these are wrong because of "now" and "tomorrow".
a. I wish it rained very much now.
b. I wish it didn't rain now.
c. I wish she came to my birthday party tomorrow.
d. I wish they slept now.
That "someone" also argues that "e. I wish it rained" means not "I hope that it will rain now" but "I hope this country is not the country that has rains". This argument is hard to agree on. I guess that "I wish it rained" simply means "I hope it will rain now".
I need native speaker's sense here....
Top answer
a. through d. " Is your objective in #1 to express it in one sentence?
- a.
- through d.
- " Is your objective in #1 to express it in one sentence?
- " You want it shorter?
- Hmmm.
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64 Answers
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I agree with "e." "I wish it rained here" is surely as grammatical as "I wish it didn't snow so much in the winter time."
I agree that 2.a. through d. are incorrect, although people often say casually, "I wish ithad rained that day."
Is your objective in #1 to express it in one sentence?
Your original sentence is certainly good, although I'd use a comma aft
I agree that 2.a. through d. are incorrect, although people often say casually, "I wish it
Is your objective in #1 to express it in one sentence?
Your original sentence is certainly good, although I'd use a comma aft
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I wish it rained very much now.
This is not as clear as it could be. Do you wish it very much? Or do you want very much rain?
____
a. I wish it were raining hard now.
b. I wish it weren't raining now.
c. I hope she'll come to my birthday party tomorrow.
d. I wish they were sleeping now.
This is not as clear as it could be. Do you wish it very much? Or do you want very much rain?
____
a. I wish it were raining hard now.
b. I wish it weren't raining now.
c. I hope she'll come to my birthday party tomorrow.
d. I wish they were sleeping now.
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How about, "I wish she came to my birthday party"?
Is this also wrong?
Is this also wrong?
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I wish she came to my birthday party.
I agree with Avangi that it's wrong.
I never realized that the conditions for the correct use of 'wish' were so complicated until I started answering questions about it on this forum!
The proposition is that she comes to your party. It's an action, and it's a one-time action. With such propositio
I agree with Avangi that it's wrong.
I never realized that the conditions for the correct use of 'wish' were so complicated until I started answering questions about it on this forum!
The proposition is that she comes to your party. It's an action, and it's a one-time action. With such propositio
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Avangi, and CJ... I am being tortured by "wish + past tense".
Below is a result from COCA, with the search word, "wish [pphs] [vvd]".
But I feel I am being cornored to accept that "wish + past tense", all or at least some of which, is wrong, without clear distinction between right and wrong.
If, "I wish they made these for adults" is possible, then why "I wish she cam
Below is a result from COCA, with the search word, "wish [pphs] [vvd]".
But I feel I am being cornored to accept that "wish + past tense", all or at least some of which, is wrong, without clear distinction between right and wrong.
If, "I wish they made these for adults" is possible, then why "I wish she cam
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this enigmatic issue
Oh, yes. Enigmatic with a capital E. You ain't just whistling 'Dixie'.
If, "I wish they made these for adults" is possible, then why "I wish she came to my birth party" is impossible?
Here's my take on it. 'made these for adults' is habitual in aspect. 'regularly made
Oh, yes. Enigmatic with a capital E. You ain't just whistling 'Dixie'.
If, "I wish they made these for adults" is possible, then why "I wish she came to my birth party" is impossible?
Here's my take on it. 'made these for adults' is habitual in aspect. 'regularly made
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I'm reminded again that you two guys both joined EF on my birthday, in '04. 
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I see....
A little difficult but your explanation is starting to make some sense in my head.
Still a little vague, though...
To check if I understood right...
Among those below, "c" and "e" are correct, becuse the verbs are stative?
a. I wish he came to the party last night
b. I wish my package arrived yesterday
c. I wish it was su
A little difficult but your explanation is starting to make some sense in my head.
Still a little vague, though...
To check if I understood right...
Among those below, "c" and "e" are correct, becuse the verbs are stative?
a. I wish he came to the party last night
b. I wish my package arrived yesterday
c. I wish it was su
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