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Hela Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
subjunctive or conditional?
Dear teachers,
Are both forms equivalent here or is there a nuance between them?
1) I wish I were / could be you.
2) I wish I were / could be as fast as I used to be.
3) I wish children switched / would switch off the TV and studied / study more.
Many thanks,
Hela
Are both forms equivalent here or is there a nuance between them?
1) I wish I were / could be you.
2) I wish I were / could be as fast as I used to be.
3) I wish children switched / would switch off the TV and studied / study more.
Many thanks,
Hela
Top answer
Hello Hela 1. ] The speaker wishes for the state of being "you". 2.
- Hello Hela 1.
- ] The speaker wishes for the state of being "you".
- 2.
- I wish I could be you.
- ] The speaker wishes for the possibility of being "you".
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5 Answers
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Hello Hela
1. I wish I were you.] The speaker wishes for the state of being "you".
2. I wish I could be you. ] The speaker wishes for the possibility of being "you".
3. I wish children switched off the tv and studied more. ] The speaker wishes for the regular occurrence "children switching off tv and studying more".
4. I wish children would switch off the tv and
1. I wish I were you.] The speaker wishes for the state of being "you".
2. I wish I could be you. ] The speaker wishes for the possibility of being "you".
3. I wish children switched off the tv and studied more. ] The speaker wishes for the regular occurrence "children switching off tv and studying more".
4. I wish children would switch off the tv and
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Dear MrP,
So according to what you've said what would be the closest equivalent to the following sentences:
1) Unfortunately, I'm not as agile as I used to be.
a) If only I were as agile as I used to be. (this one ?)
b) If only I could be as agile...
2) I regret the fact that we didn't see the band play
a) I wish we had seen
So according to what you've said what would be the closest equivalent to the following sentences:
1) Unfortunately, I'm not as agile as I used to be.
a) If only I were as agile as I used to be. (this one ?)
b) If only I could be as agile...
2) I regret the fact that we didn't see the band play
a) I wish we had seen
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Hello Hela
I think 1a and 2a are closest in meaning. To my mind, 1b would be more likely than 1a to precede a statement such as "maybe I'll take up yoga", for instance; and 2b would be more likely to be used where there had been some obstacle to seeing the band – perhaps they were held up and arrived too late, for example.
That said, in everyday conversation, people would not nec
I think 1a and 2a are closest in meaning. To my mind, 1b would be more likely than 1a to precede a statement such as "maybe I'll take up yoga", for instance; and 2b would be more likely to be used where there had been some obstacle to seeing the band – perhaps they were held up and arrived too late, for example.
That said, in everyday conversation, people would not nec
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