1. Match the comments with the answers.

I feel so old The plants in the garden are dying We never hear from Angela I didn’t know you were ill I can’t afford to go out It takes hours to get to work She looked absolutely lovely We don’t see you very often nowadays Now everyone knows the secret

I wish it would rain. I wish you had told me. I wish we lived nearer the office. I wish you could come more often. I wish I hadn’t told anyone. I wish I were younger. I wish she would write more often. I wish I had more money. I wish I could have taken a photograph.

2. Write sentences with ‘I wish’.

Model: It’s raining very hard.  I wish it weren’t raining so hard.

1. We haven’t time to stop.

2. John didn’t pass the exam.

3. It’s very cold in here.

4. There’s no time to spare.

5. George won’t help.

6. Mary didn’t come.

7. I didn’t see the match last week.

8. I can’t give up smoking.

9. Tina can’t come to the party.

10. She doesn’t know anything about cars.

11. I’m not lying on a sunny beach.

12. I hate having to do homework every night.

13. I decided to work in London.

14. We sold the house we had in Manchester.

15. We didn’t realize that a supermarket was opening nearby.

16. We put our money into a grocery shop.

17. We borrowed $3.000 to start the business.

18. It was a mistake to leave Manchester.

3. Imagine that you are in these situations. For each situation write a sentence with ‘I wish’.

Model: You’ve eaten too much and now you feel sick.

You say I wish I hadn’t eaten so much.

1. There was a job advertised in the newspaper. You decided not to apply for it. Now you think that your decision was wrong.

You say: I wish I ____ .

2. When you were younger, you didn’t learn to play a musical instrument. Now you regret this.

You say: ____ .

3. You’ve painted the gate red. Now you think that it doesn’t look very nice.

You say: ____ .

4. You have some unexpected guests. They didn’t tell you they were coming. You are very busy and you are not prepared for them.

You say (to yourself): ____ .

5. You are walking in the country. You would like to take some photographs but you didn’t bring your camera.

You say: ____ .

4. Express wishes and regrets about these situations. Refer to yourself where possible.

Model: You’re not very fit. I wish/If only/I was/were fit/fitter!

1. It’s very hot today.

2. It’s raining.

3. You were too impatient.

4. You wasted a lot of time watching TV.

5. John didn’t take your advice.

6. We didn’t lock the back door!

7. Jane has read your letter.

8. He is abroad.

9. They don’t have a lot of friends.

5. Complain about the present situation and express your wish about some future actions. Begin your sentences with ‘if only’ or ‘I wish’.

Model: You don’t expect your headache to go away.

I wish my headache would go away. (If only my headache went away)

1. You don’t expect the weather to clear up.

2. You don’t expect the Rescue Services to arrive soon.

3. Some economists don’t expect tight monetary and fiscal policies to keep inflation under control.

4. You don’t expect this company despite of its small financial backing to be the first to crack.

5. You don’t expect your wife to be promoted soon.

6. You don’t expect your boss to think of this possibility for you.

7. You don’t expect Steve to be more careful.