How to use I WISH in English correctly | Learn English grammar

Summary

In this video, Aga explains the use of 'I wish' in English, focusing on its application for present and past wishes. She clarifies that when expressing a present wish, the past simple tense is used (e.g., 'I wish I lived in Spain'), while for past regrets, the past perfect is required (e.g., 'I wish I had lived in Spain'). Aga also discusses the structure of sentences with double 'had' (e.g., 'I wish I had had a cat') and provides practice exercises for viewers to test their understanding. The video includes explanations and examples to help learners grasp these tricky grammar points.

Takeaways

• 😀 'I wish' is used to express desires about situations that are not true or do not exist in the present or past.
• 😀 When using 'I wish' for present situations, the verb that follows is in the past simple tense (e.g., 'I wish I lived in Spain').
• 😀 The phrase 'I wish I had' refers to a desire about the present, such as wishing for something you don’t have now (e.g., 'I wish I had a cat').
• 😀 To express regret or desire about the past, 'I wish' is followed by the past perfect tense (e.g., 'I wish I had lived in Spain').
• 😀 The construction 'I wish I had had' refers to a past desire for something that was not achieved or obtained (e.g., 'I wish I had had a cat last year').
• 😀 The first 'had' in 'I wish I had had' is an auxiliary verb, and the second 'had' is the past participle of 'have'.
• 😀 'I wish I lived in Spain' is about the present, whereas 'I wish I had lived in Spain' is about the past.
• 😀 The difference between 'I wish I had a car' and 'I wish I had had a car' is that the first is a present desire and the second refers to a past regret.
• 😀 The past perfect tense is necessary for sentences that express what you wanted but did not get in the past (e.g., 'I wish I had lived in Spain last year').
• 😀 Practice exercises help reinforce the correct usage of 'I wish' in different contexts, ensuring understanding of present vs. past desires.

Q & A

What is the meaning of 'I wish' in English?

'I wish' is used to express a desire for something that is not true or a regret about something that didn’t happen.

Why is the verb after 'I wish' in the past tense when talking about the present?

When expressing a present desire using 'I wish,' we use the past simple form of the verb to indicate that it is a hypothetical or unreal situation.

Can you give an example of using 'I wish' for a present desire?

Yes, an example would be: 'I wish I lived in Spain.' This means that the speaker currently lives somewhere else, but desires to live in Spain.

What tense do you use after 'I wish' when talking about the past?

When talking about a past desire or regret, we use the past perfect tense (had + past participle) after 'I wish.'

What is the difference between 'I wish I lived in Spain' and 'I wish I had lived in Spain'?

'I wish I lived in Spain' refers to a present desire (the speaker doesn’t live in Spain but wishes to). 'I wish I had lived in Spain' refers to a past regret (the speaker didn’t live in Spain, but wishes they had).

What does 'I wish I had had a cat' mean?

'I wish I had had a cat' is about a past regret. It means the speaker did not have a cat in the past, but they wish they had.

Why is there a double 'had' in 'I wish I had had a cat'?

The first 'had' is an auxiliary verb, and the second 'had' is the past participle of the verb 'to have.' The structure is used when expressing a past regret about not having something.

What is the correct form to use in this sentence: 'I wish you ______ told me you were going to the cinema.'?

The correct form is 'I wish you had told me you were going to the cinema.' This is a past regret about something that didn’t happen.

When should you use 'I wish' with the past simple tense?

You use 'I wish' with the past simple tense when expressing a desire about the present or something that is not true right now.

How do you choose between 'I wish I lived' and 'I wish I had lived'?

'I wish I lived' is used when expressing a present desire, while 'I wish I had lived' is used when expressing a past regret.