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

English with Aga
7 Nov 202306:45

Summary

TLDRIn 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.

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Related Tags
English GrammarLearn EnglishI WishTense PracticePast TenseGrammar LessonEnglish ExercisesLanguage LearningPresent TenseStudy TipsPast Perfect