I wish my family would be here.

Question

Greetings all!
I have lurked for years and finally have had a student ask a question that I am completely (maybe almost) stumped by. One of my students asked me why I corrected her when she said "I wish my family would be here." I told her that "I wish my family were here" is the correct way to phrase this.

Usually I can figure out my way around grammar through deductions, but I must say I am stumped this time. I surmise that I could say it if I said "I wish my family would be here (for this special event)." The fact that there is a special event is implied and it is not the family's desire to be there.

I told her that "I wish my family could be here" is also correct because it implies that the family doesn't have the ability to be there.

I appreciate all of your help and knowledge!!

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

suenos096One of my students asked me why I corrected her when she said "I wish my family would be here." I told her that "I wish my family were here" is the correct way to phrase this.

Good job!

suenos096Usually I can figure out my way around grammar through deductions, but I must say I am stumped this time. I surmise that I could say it if I said "I wish my family would be here (for this special event)."

No, I don't think so. The point is that 'would' does not appear after 'wish' when it is a wish for the present, but only for the future:

I wish I were the king (now).
I wish you would come to my party (next week).
I wish you had come to my party (now or last week).

Welcome to English Forums, suenos.

Jaylor · Answer

I think it's because "be here" is referring to the present. They wish their family were here right now. If it were a future hypothetical, "would" could be used. "I wish they would arrive", it talks about a future event of them arriving. If they're referencing a hypothetical event that's current, they'd use "were".

Sorry I can't get more technical than that at the moment!

Ozzourti · Answer

JaylorI think it's because "be here" is referring to the present. They wish their family were here right now. If it were a future hypothetical, "would" could be used. "I wish they would arrive", it talks about a future event of them arriving. If they're referencing a hypothetical event that's current, they'd use "were".

Yes, we "go back one tense" for a contrary-to-fact wish:

Past: They did not come. --> I wish they had come.*
Present: They are not here. --> I wish they were here.
Future: (I know/think that) they will not arrive. --> I wish they would arrive.

___________________________
* Technically, had is the past tense of have, and did is the past tense of do. What I mean is that you switch from the simple past to past perfect.

Suenos096 · Answer

Thank you all *so* much! My co-worker is convinced that you can say "I wish they would be here" and I told her that I didn't think that it was because it just didn't sound correct at all. She said because I'm "American" and Americans don't normally say that, but that it is grammatically correct. :/

She's not even a native speaker! She's from Belarus! LOL
Oh well.

Thanks again!!

CalifJim · Answer

suenos096I wish

I wish the grammar of "wish" were less complicated.

If you want to read more about "wish", just put "wish" in the Search Box above and take a look at the posts listed.

Or you could start here and follow the links.

CJ

I wish my family would be here.

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