WISH

Question

I WISH plus past for a situation we're not happy about but would like to change e.g. I wish I HAD more money; he wishes he WAS taller. BUT when we want someone else to change we use WOULD plus INF. e.g. I wish he WOULD shut up; He wishes I WOULD drive more carefully. 2 ANOMALIES: I wish he KNEW how to drive (NOT would) and I wish I COULD go to Spain on holiday (NOT WENT). WHY? Because know is a state and go is an action? I haven't seen the answer ANYWHERE: books, internet, nothing

Guest · Accepted Answer

Sometimes both are possible:

-I wish I could go to Spain on holiday.
-She wishes he could go to Spain on holiday.

Positive and negative:

We usually use wish+pronoun+would when we are talking about an annoying habit. However, that is not always the case.

-I wish he would shut up. ( he is annoying me)
-I wish he would talk to me life. ( it's a desire, but ... well I suppose it's kind of annoying)

What do you think?

Taiwandave · Answer

Let's start with your first question. It seems you are wondering why the following wouldn't be correct:

He doesn't know how to drive, but I wish he would know.

This is simply a case of an incorrect choice of verb. The verb "know", as you pointed out, is a stative (non-action) verb. But the above sentence requires an action verb. You want him to acquire knowledge. This is an action. The correct choice of verb would be "learn":

He doesn't know how to drive, but I wish he would learn.
OR
I wish he would learn how to drive.

Don't use a non-action verb in a sentence that is clearing talking about an action, the need for an action, or a wish that an action would take place.

As for your second question, surely you already know that a modal auxiliary such as "could" is always followed by an infinitive form of the main verb:

I wish I could go to Spain. (could + bare present infinitive "go")
I wish I could have gone to Spain. (could + bare perfect infinitive "have gone")
I wish I could went to Spain. (wrong)

The third sentence could not possibly be correct, as it violates an fundamental rule of grammar that is followed rigidly in both written and spoken English.

Have I misunderstood your second question?

Anonymous · Answer

I find wish sentences very confusing at the moment; I do not know when I can use would + INf, we understand that it is used for future actions that we want to happen.

But can I say : I wish I would pass the exam. Can we use I wish I would....???

One example: I have to go to school tomorrow.

So I say : I wish I didn't have to go to.... or I wish I wouldn't have to.....

I see that the second sentence is ok also, it expresses future actions, right? everyone?

Thanks,

Bui Duc Son, Viet Nam

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousBut can I say : I wish I would pass the exam. Can we use I wish I would..???

No. It doesn't make sense to wish for something you already have control over. But you can hope. I hope I pass the exam. I hope I can pass the exam.

Equally anomalous:
*I wish I would drink a glass of water.
*I wish I would check to see what time it is.
*I wish I would turn on the TV.

You can just dothose things; you don't wish you would do them as if you were wishing that someone else would do them. That's acting as if you had multiple personalities -- one person inside you wishing that the other person inside you would do something.

AnonymousSo I say : I wish I didn't have to go to...

Say this. You can't wish you wouldn't have to do something. Someone else said you had to do it. Someone else is making you do it. You can say I wish they wouldn't make me go to school tomorrow.

I wish I wouldn't is just as anomalous as I wish I would.

If you are on the receiving end of a desired future action, use I hope I will, not I wish I would.

I hope I'll receive a letter from her soon.
I hope I will be rewarded for all my efforts.
I hope I'll be named chairman of the committee.

CJ

WISH

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