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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

verb form after 'wish'

Is it possible to use the present subjunctive (simple form of the verb) after the verb 'wish'. I mean, does this sentence sound correct:

'In the famous fairy tale of King Midas, the king wished that everything he touched turn to gold'

or does it have to be 'would turn'?

thanks.
  

Top answer

To my ear it sounds a bit formal, but all right as is. Yet I would judge "would turn" to be the more usual form. CJ

— CalifJim

  • To my ear it sounds a bit formal, but all right as is.
  • Yet I would judge "would turn" to be the more usual form.
  • CJ
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9 Answers
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To my ear it sounds a bit formal, but all right as is. Yet I would judge "would turn" to be the more usual form.

CJ
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thanks CJ.

Does anybody have a different opinion?
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I have no problem with the subjunctive there. Yes, formal, but ... hey, this is life.

Wrt would, we seem to have a small problem, if my reading of Swan is correct:
------
wish ... would

Would is very common in that-clauses after wish. Would is used as a softened equivalent of will, referring to people's willingness,
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I think the standard (together with the present subjunctive) is:

'In the famous fairy tale of King Midas, the king wished that everything he touched had turned to gold'

See e.g.:


would seems to be tolerated though, at least in AmE.





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This may sound crazy, but the "wish" spoken of in Swan is not the same as the "wish" in the Midas context.

The uses of "wish" in Swan are not really "make a wish", whereas the "wish" in the Midas context (or any similar context) means "make a wish". In this sense, the normal usage of "wish" is the same as that of "hope", following the same usual sequence of tenses.

He h
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No Marius, not in the case of describing a story. At the beginning of the story, he wished everything he touched would turn to gold. At the end of the story, he felt regret that everything (including his daughter) that he HAD touched HAD TURNED to gold.
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This may sound crazy, but the "wish" spoken of in Swan is not the same as the "wish" in the Midas context.

The uses of "wish" in Swan are not really "make a wish", whereas the "wish" in the Midas context (or any similar context) means "make a wish". In this sense, the normal usage of "wish" is the same as that of "hope", following the same usual sequence of tenses.

He
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what about if we have both forms in multiple choice questions ?
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CalifJim is right, will is a mental process verb in "I wish you wouldn't make so much fuss.", and does not express actual wishing. Some other mental process verbs are hope, believe, think, suppose and imagine. As for the original example, I don't think it works without would because a wish is not a "command". You have some options:

I insist /*wish (that) every
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