Wishing about the Present and Past

PRESENT FACTS	WISHES ABOUT THE PRESENT
I’m small. – Я маленький. I can’t ski. – Я не вмію кататися на лижах. We live in the city. – Я живу в місті.	I wish I wasn’t small. – Як жаль, що я маленький. (Як би мені хотілося не бути маленьким.) If only I were taller. – Якщо б я тільки був вищий. I wish I could ski. – Як би мені хотілося вміти кататися на лижах. We wish we lived in the country. – На жаль ми не жили в пригороді. If only we didn’t live in the city. – Якщо б ми тільки жили у пригороді.
PAST FACTS	WISHES ABOUT THE PAST
I wasn’t happy at school. – Я не був щасливим у школі. He didn’t pass his driving test. – Він не здав іспит на права.	I wish I had been happy at school. – На жаль, я не був щасливим у школі. If only I’d gone to a different school. – Якщо б я тільки пішов у іншу школу. He wishes he’d passed his test. – На жаль він не здав іспит на права.

Exercise 5 Change the following sentences using I wish.

Model: It s a pity you are ill. – I wish you were not ill.

1. Unfortunately they won’t return before Christmas. 2. The student was sorry he had not studied the material better and had shown such poor knowledge at the examination. 3. It’s a pity that you did not send for us last night. 4. It is a pity you are not with us these days. 5. My friend regrets not having entered the university. 6. He was sorry not to have had enough time to finish his test paper. 7. It’s a pity we won’t be able to reach home before teatime. 8. I am sorry I made you upset by telling you this news. 9. What a pity you don’t know enough physics!

Exercise 6 Put the beginnings and ends together, using I wish + Past Perfect.

Model: I wish I’d been nicer to my sister when we were kids.

BEGINNINGS	ENDS
(choose) (do) more travelling (go) to (go) to bed earlier (not get married) (not tell) him (save) money (study) (take better care of)	a better school. a different career. harder at the university. last night. my teeth. the truth. when I had the chance. when I was eighteen. when I was earning a good salary.

Exercise 7 Say what you would rather do in the following situations.

Model: If you are thirsty, would you rather have a hot drink or a cold drink? – I’d rather have a cold drink.

1. If you could choose between travelling by plane or by train, which would you rather do? 2. What do you want to watch on TV, the news or the football match? 3. In a restaurant you have to choose between mashed potatoes or French fries. 4. If you were free to choose what would you become: an actor or an engineer? 5. How would you prefer to go to Germany: by plane or by high-speed train? 6. What do you like to read: a science fiction or a horror story?

Exercise 8 Translate the following sentences using I wish.

1. Як би мені хотілося бути зараз на півдні. 2. Як би мені хотілося бути зараз у молодіжному центрі. 3. На жаль, я тоді не встиг відвідати моїх рідних. 4. На жаль, я не переклав цю статтю минулого тижня. 5. На жаль, я не подзвонив Вам учора. 6. На жаль, я не маю можливості поїхати у круїз навколо світу. 7. На жаль, у мене не було квитка у середу. 8. На жаль, я не зміг зателефонувати моїм батькам учора. 9. Як би мені хотілося злітати на інші планети. 10. Як би мені хотілося побувати на міжнародному чемпіонаті з тенісу.