'If only ...' for present use.

Question

To express regret about the present not being different we use If only + past simple.
eg 'If only I were rich' (now)
Is it possible to say: 'If only I finished university' for the present?
I think not, but I am not sure why. If we say 'If only I had finished university.', we are only referring to the past, aren't we?
I know we could say 'If only I weren't at university' for the present instead.
If it is not possible to use 'finish' in this way, is it simply because of the nature of the verb.
Thanks
Mike

Markroe · Accepted Answer

To express regret about the present not being different we use If only + past simple.
eg 'If only I were rich' (now)
Is it possible to say: 'If only I finished university' for the present?
I think not, but I am not sure why. If we say 'If only I had finished university.', we are only referring to the past, aren't we?
I know we could say 'If only I weren't at university' for the present instead.
If it is not possible to use 'finish' in this way, is it simply because of the nature of the verb.
Thanks
Mike[/quote]

You can say "If only I had finished university..." Example: "If only I had finished university [already,] I could go to Japan for a vacation." It's also correct to say, "If only I weren't at university, I could go to Japan. (Present: You are still in university, so you are not able to take a vacation now.) For the past, showing regret, you could say, "If only I had finished university, I could get a better job."

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousIs it possible to say: 'If only I finished university' for the present?

No, but you can use the verb "finish" with the modal could and mean the present time. If you are in university now, you can say:

If only I could finish university this year....

AnonymousIf we say 'If only I had finished university.', we are only referring to the past, aren't we?

Yes, an untrue situation in the past. (You did not finish university, and it has had a negative consequence in the present.)

AnonymousI know we could say 'If only I weren't at university' for the present instead.

Yes, it means that at the present time you wish you were somewhere else other than being at university.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

AnonymousIs it possible to say: 'If only I finished university' for the present?

Without addtional context, I would say the above is a fragmented sentence, and it's difficult to determine its grammaticality.

If I am not mistaken, your examples are conditional of the third kind which is counter-factual and has no facutal present value.
If you say (in present time), I would have been a branch VP if I were a Stanford graduate. Or "
I would have been a branch VP had I been a Stanford Graduate."

This link may be helpful:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conditional2.htm

'If only ...' for present use.

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