Wish inquiry

Question

Are these sentence correct with 'wish'?I wish I studied harder.I wish I did not eat a lot.I wish I finished my homework.

RandomGuy · Accepted Answer

Those are possible, and they are semantically similar to your example I wish I finished what I started, discussed here.

Anonymous · Answer

Aspara GusThose are possible, and they are semantically similar to your example I wish I finished what I started, discussed here.

Thanks. But I was not sure if they were possible, what is the difference compared to the past perfect forms.

I wish I studied harder.
I wish I had studied harder.

I wish I did not eat a lot.
I wish I had not eaten a lot.

I wish I finished my homework.
I wish I had finished my homework.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous-
I wish I had studied harder.
I wish I had not eaten a lot.
I wish I had finished my homework.

=
I didn't study hard enough. I regret it.
I ate a lot. I regret it.
I didn't finish my homework. I regret it.

Anonymous-
I wish I studied harder.
I wish I did not eat a lot.
I wish I finished my homework.

=
I [don't / never] study hard enough. I regret it.
I [eat / always eat] a lot. I regret it.
I [don't / never] finish my homework. I regret it.

This second set is a little strange. We don't normally wish things for ourselves that we have control over. A person can control how much he studies, how much he eats, and whether he finishes his homework.

More commonly we make a wish about what we would like others to do, and we do it with 'would' rather than with the past tense.

I wish Larry would study harder.
I wish Susan would eat less.
I wish Peter would always finish his homework on time.

CJ

RandomGuy · Answer

CalifJimA person can control how much he studies, how much he eats

Sometimes not this person.

CalifJim · Answer

Aspara GusSometimes not this person.

My condolences. I was speaking "in the abstract", of course.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim=I didn't study hard enough. I regret it.I ate a lot. I regret it.I didn't finish my homework. I regret it.

Thanks, CJ.

So these are regrets to events that happened in the past, and for the past the past perfect must be used, right?

CalifJimAnonymous-I wish I studied harder.I wish I did not eat a lot.I wish I finished my homework.=I [don't / never] study hard enough. I regret it.I [eat / always eat] a lot. I regret it.I [don't / never] finish my homework. I regret it.

The use of the simple past are for the present or future situations and regrets suggesting the things (maybe as habits) that I would like to be different, right?

CalifJimThis second set is a little strange. We don't normally wish things for ourselves that we have control over. A person can control how much he studies, how much he eats, and whether he finishes his homework.

I guess we can control it but some people just can't and they always eat and don't like to study, and for those reasons they may wish that they weren't like that! If my understanding of the simple past was correct?

What about these, would they equal the ones with the simple past:
I wish I would study harder.
I wish I would eat less.

CalifJimMore commonly we make a wish about what we would like others to do, and we do it with 'would' rather than with the past tense.

So does the use of 'would' equals the simple past since it is used instead of it?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousCalifJim=I didn't study hard enough. I regret it.I ate a lot. I regret it.I didn't finish my homework. I regret it.Thanks, CJ.So these are regrets to events that happened in the past, and for the past the past perfect must be used, right?

Correct.

AnonymousCalifJimAnonymous-I wish I studied harder.I wish I did not eat a lot.I wish I finished my homework.=I [don't / never] study hard enough. I regret it.I [eat / always eat] a lot. I regret it.I [don't / never] finish my homework. I regret it.The use of the simple past are for the present or future situations and regrets suggesting the things (maybe as habits) that I would like to be different, right?

Correct.

AnonymousWhat about these, would they equal the ones with the simple past:I wish I would study harder.I wish I would eat less.

No, no, no! Those are even worse than the ones with the simple past. It's as if you're waiting for something external to yourself to magically change you. I suggest that you ban "I wish I would" from your vocabulary completely. The only exception is where you are not the agent of the action: I wish I would receive more email from my friends. In this case you can't control when or how often you receive email.

AnonymousCalifJimMore commonly we make a wish about what we would like others to do, and we do it with 'would' rather than with the past tense.So does the use of 'would' equals the simple past since it is used instead of it?

In my opinion, the form with 'would' is superior to the form with the simple past. I very rarely use the simple past with "I wish" and it usually sounds strange to me when I hear it. Nevertheless, you will hear it. Some speakers like it.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim I suggest that you ban "I wish I would" from your vocabulary completely. The only exception is where you are not the agent of the action: I wish I would receive more email from my friends. In this case you can't control when or how often you receive email

OK got it. Thanks for pointing that out.

Then how about the use of 'could'? have seen that used a lot. Would they work the same as the simple past ones, for example:
I wish I could study harder.
I wish I could eat less.

Are they equal to the simple past or are they not good as the use of 'would'?

CalifJimIn my opinion, the form with 'would' is superior to the form with the simple past. I very rarely use the simple past with "I wish" and it usually sounds strange to me when I hear it. Nevertheless, you will hear it. Some speakers like it.

I see, but the use of 'would' would be superior to the simple past when referring to others and what we would like them to do but not to yourself, right?

Also, what do you use instead of the simple past when referring to what you wish since it sounds strange to your ears?

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymoushow about the use of 'could'?

That introduces the idea of having the ability to do something. Wishing for an ability you don't have makes sense, so the objections to 'would' do not apply to 'could'.

Anonymousthe use of 'would' would be superior to the simple past when referring to others and what we would like them to do but not to yourself, right?

Correct.

Anonymouswhat do you use instead of the simple past when referring to what you wish since it sounds strange to your ears?

The 'would' form: I wish Barry would study harder in preference to I wish Barry studied harder.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimThat introduces the idea of having the ability to do something. Wishing for an ability you don't have makes sense, so the objections to 'would' do not apply to 'could'.

I see. So it is possible to say 'I wish I could eat less or study harder'. But the meaning would slightly be different than the simple past 'I wish I did not eat a lot or studied harder'. Right?

CalifJimThe 'would' form: I wish Barry would study harder in preference to I wish Barry studied harder.

Thanks. But I meant here when referring to yourself and not others. Instead of 'I wish I studied harder'. How would you say that?

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