§6 Subjunctive II in complex sentences

§6.1 Object clauses

Subjunctive II is used in object clauses when the predicate of the principal clause is expressed by the verb to wish. If the action expressed in the object clause is simultaneous with that of the principal clause Present Subjunctive II is used, if the action expressed in the object clause is prior to that of the principal clause, Past Subjunctive II is used.

e.g. He wished Renny were there. (Он пожалел, что Ренни там не было.)

I wish you were not sitting and doing nothing when everybody is working.

(Мне бы хотелось, чтобы ты не сидел без дела, в то время как все

работают.)

I wish you hadn’t argued with her. (Жаль, что ты с ней поспорила.)

They wished they had not been waiting for them so long.

(Они пожалели, что так долго их ждали.)

Note I To make the sentence more emphatic the form ‘would’ + infinitive can be used. The form is used only in sentences referring to the present or future.

e.g. I wish you wouldn’t interfere in my life.

I used to wish you would lose your voice and could never sing again.

Ex. 98. Read and translate the sentences. Analyze the given forms.

1. "What's going on here?" "I wish I knew." 2. "How I wish I had money!" she thought. 3. I wish I could know what she was thinking about. 4. I wish he weren't coming. 5. I wish the rescue were possible. 6. I wish I had taken your advice. 7. I wish you might come too. 8. I often wish I had been born a man. 9. I wished I had said something else. 10. I wish it hadn't happened. 11. He wished that the child were his. 12. She felt uncomfortable and began to wish she had refused to come. 13. I wish you could have heard it yourself. 14. I wish you wouldn't treat me like that. 15. I wish you would smile again. 16. I wish you could have accepted the invitation of your English doctor friend.

I wish	smb did smth were could (might) do (be)
	smb had done smth had been could (might) have done (been)

Ex. 99. Fill in the blanks.

1. Believe me, I wish it ... . (not to happen) 2. I wish you ... worrying about that cow. (to stop) 3.I wished he ... in London now. (not to be) 4. I wish I ... a better car. (to have) 5. I wish he ... at all yesterday. (not to come) 6. I wish you ... tomorrow too. (to come) 7. I wish you ... to Tommy when he's back. (to talk) 8. She wished now that she ... her father's advice. (to take) 9. I wish she really ... so. (to do) 10. I rather wish you ... her by her Christian name. (not to call) 11. I wish you ... (not to daydream). 12. I wish you ... me all in good time. (to tell) 13. She began to wish she ... or ... then. (to scream, to awaken) 14. I wish you ... me. (to help) 15. I wished I ... this car. (never to buy) 16. She wished it ... so heavily. (not to rain)

Ex. 100. Supply the correct form of the Subjunctive Mood of the verbs in brackets.

1. Oh, I wish I (not to send) him that letter. I'd give anything to take it back. 2. I wish I (to be) as sure as you. 3. But he wished that there (to be) some way in which he could help the young lawyer. 4. "I wish I (not to cry) so much," said Alice trying to find her way out. 5. And here I wish I (can) tell you half of the things Alice used to say. 6. I rather wished Poirot (to be) there. 7. I wish I (to know) it was your friend. 8. He wished he (to come) by air. 9. I wish I (to know) what to do now. 10. I wish that poor Strickland (to be) still alive. 11. I wish I (to know) it was your birthday, Lady Windermere, I would have covered the whole street in front of your house with flowers. 12. I wish they (to be) back. 13. I wished I (to have) enough confidence so that I could transfer some to her. But I didn't. 14. I wish I never (to hear) of it. 15. I wish to Christ we (to have) bicycles. 16.I wish I (to know) where we are going. 17. I wish that I (to be) with the British. It would have been much simpler.

Ex. 101. Express an unreal wish according to the model.

Model: I have too much work. — I wish I didn't have so much work.

Amy didn't study Spanish.—Amy wishes she had studied Spanish.

1. It isn't Sunday today. 2. Brendon has to study so hard! 3. Lucy has too many friends. 4. I don't have a computer. 5. My cousin can't find a good job. 6. They live far from the station. 7. She doesn't know Ted's address. 8. Billy leaves for work too early. 9. The child didn't tell us the truth. 10. Helen didn't finish high school. 11. I didn't call my parents yesterday. 12. We spent all our money at the sale. 13. My neighbour bought a used car. 14. Paul went to bed too late last night. 15. The weather was miserable last week.

Ex. 102. Express regrets about the following (starting with wish) and add four more regrets of your own.

1. My students are not always in time for class. 2. I didn't work hard when I was at school. 3. Our climate is so changeable! 4. Nelly is sorry that she didn't save enough money when she was still working. 5. What a pity we have ever met! 6. I didn't stay at home late at night and got involved into an accident. 7. My neighbours are very noisy people. 8. Helen didn't buy the dress and is very sorry about it. 9. My director is too bossy and demanding. 10. Victor can't get on well with his relatives. 11. My father couldn't fix our new VCR yesterday. 12. I still don't know who you really are.

Ex. 103. Paraphrase the following sentences so as to use the Subjunctive Mood after the verb to wish.

1. He was sorry he couldn't join us. 2. It's a pity you were absent yesterday. 3. I'd like him to be more polite. 4. They are sorry they didn't invite her. 5. He was disappointed that he would not be able to see the film. 6. I regret now not having told her all the truth then. 7. What a pity you can't swim. 8. I'm awfully sorry I kept you waiting so long. 9. It's a pity I couldn't go to the theatre with you. 10. I'm very sorry that I have disturbed you. 11. It's a pity you are leaving so soon. 12. I'd like to see the film again. 13. It was a pity we could not see the stage well. 14. They were sorry they hadn't taken a taxi and had missed their train.

Ex. 104. Use the right forms of the verbs in brackets.

1. I have never seen your kids. I wish you (have) a picture of them with you. 2. The police wish they (be) better equipped to work more efficiently. 3. They wished their daughter (be) more careful in choosing friends. 4. Susan wishes she (go) to college instead of leaving school and getting a job. 5. I wish we (buy) a house of our own long ago and not (live) with our grandparents all these years. 6. Melanie wished she not (say) she was going to the party. 7. He wished his mother still (live) nearby. 8. The Dixons wish their son not (marry) that punk girl. 9. We wish you (can wait) to see him. 10. I wish I (be) nicer to my parents when I was a teenager. 11. Ted wishes he (follow) his tutor's advice. 12. How I wish I (can play) some musical instrument! 13. I wish people (be) more honest. 14. People wish the government (do) something about unemployment. 15. I wish I (start) learning English much earlier.

Ex. 105. Paraphrase the following so as to use the Subjunctive Mood in object clauses after the verb wish.

1. What a pity that I have grown up and that I am not a child any longer! 2. The patient is sorry that he lost control of himself and spoke to the doctor rudely. 3. What a shame that you can't believe us! 4. Mike's parents regret not having listened to what their son wanted to do in life. 5. My brother is a born worrier, I'm sorry to say. 6. I am awfully sorry I disturbed you in the middle of the night, but the matter was urgent. 7. It's a pity she couldn't find accommodation in the city. 8. What a spendthrift you are! But today you really spent too much! 9. It's so annoying but we have to go. 10. We're upset that our plan failed. 11. Marina was sorry that she hadn't invited her classmates to her party. 12. What a shame! I forgot to call Robert again. 13. The whole family was disappointed that they couldn't buy the house. 14. I must say she's an extremely tough woman. 15. Unfortunately, you will not receive the job you've applied for.

Ex. 106. Replace the infinitives in brackets by the present or past tense of subjunctive II (use would + infinitive where possible).

MODEL

1) I wish he (to warn) me in time. – I wish he had warned me in time.

(You can't use would + infinitive as it does not replace the past tense of subjunctive II).

2) I wish you (not to speak) so loudly.

a) I wish you did not speak so loudly.

b) I wish you would not speak so loudly.

1. I wish you (not to smoke) indoors. 2. I wish he (not to stay) to dinner. There's not enough soup to go round. 3. I can't make him take his cod-liver oil. I wish you (to speak) to him about it. 4. I have such a headache. I wish the people next door (not to play) the records quite so loudly. 5. We liked the film so much. I wish you (to see it) too. 6. It was not long before we wished we (not to come). 7. He asked after you and said he wished you (to write) or (to come) over some time. 8. I wish your children (not to interrupt) us. 9. I wish the people in front (to stop) talking. I can hardly hear the actors. 10. Now of course I wish I (to take) his advice. 11. It is awful the way the window frame rattles in the wind. I wish somebody (to do) something about it. 12. She couldn't sleep all night. Oh, how she wished she (not to write) that letter.

Ex. 107. Translate into English.

1. Как бы мне хотелось быть храбрым, как отец. 2. Хотел бы я быть на твоем месте. 3. Хорошо бы экзамены уже закончились. 4. Мне бы хотелось, чтобы ты поговорил с ними завтра же. 5. Мне бы хотелось, чтобы вы помирились. 6. Как жаль, что ты не можешь пойти с нами в театр. 7. Мне жаль, что его здесь нет. 8. Я пожалела, что не знаю немецкого. 9. Мне бы хотелось, чтобы ты смогла приехать пораньше. 10. Хорошо бы нам пойти на дискотеку. 11. Он пожалел, что не занимался английским в молодости. 12. Жаль, что ты не можешь закончить работу в срок. 13. Ей очень хотелось, чтобы теперь была весна. 14. Жаль, что ты никогда не рассказывал мне об этом.

Ex.108. Translate into English using the Subjunctive Mood in object clauses.

1. Как жаль, что вы были так неосторожны. Этого бы не случилось, если бы вы послушали совета наших друзей. 2. Как жаль, что это произошло в ваше отсутствие. 3. Жаль, что вы не интересуетесь искусством. 4. Я теперь жалею, что не захватила с собой таблетки от головной боли. 5. Ты пожалеешь, что не пошел со мной. 6. Жаль, что вы не сохранила письмо. 7. Хоть бы ей кто-нибудь сказал, что это невежливо. 8. Ей очень хотелось, чтобы кто-нибудь заметил ее и спросил, что она тут делает. 9. Хорошо, если бы вы всегда приходили вовремя. 10. Жаль, что вы не смогли посмотреть этот матч. 11. Досадно, что преподаватель обращает мало внимания на ваше произношение. 12. Хотелось бы мне, чтобы вы были осторожнее в следующий раз. 13. Как жаль, что я не могу как следует описать вам сцену, которая затем последовала. 14. Как жаль, что доктор ушел. Я не спросила его, когда принимать лекарство. 15. Обидно, что мы не знаем его адреса. Мы могли бы сходить к нему сегодня же. 16. Жаль, что в детстве меня не учили никакому иностранному языку. 17. Она жалела, что ей не было слышно, о чем говорили внизу. 18. Я бы хотела, чтобы ты содержал все свои вещи в порядке. 19. Напрасно он не посвятил свою жизнь математике. Это его любимый предмет с детства.

Ex.109. Translate into English.

1. Жаль, что я сейчас не с вами. Это было бы здоро­во! 2. Зря я здесь сейчас с вами. Дома так много дел! 3. Напрасно вы не подписали бумаги вовремя. 4. Досадно, что вы подписали бумаги тогда. 5. Жаль, что жизнь такая короткая и жестокая. 6. Хотелось бы, чтобы жизнь была более счастливой. 7. Жаль, что Денис не влюбился в эту прекрасную девушку. Она бы сделала его счастливым. 8. Напрасно Игорь влюбился в эту капризную девушку. Она сделает его жизнь невыносимой. 9. Жаль, что мы живем так далеко друг от друга. Мы могли бы стать близкими друзьями. 10. Мы могли бы стать близкими друзьями, но не стали. Жаль, что это так! 11. Жаль, что у меня вчера болело горло, и я не смогла пойти на дискотеку. 12. Досадно, что мы заблудились именно в центре Парижа. 13. Жаль, что мы не говорим по-французски и не взяли карту города. 14. Зря я постирала белую майку с черными джинсами. Теперь она стала серого цвета. 15. Жаль, что мои дети не со мной.

Ex. 110. Translate into English.

1. Хотелось бы, чтобы люди были более дружелюбными. 2. Жаль, что люди так напряжены. 3. Хорошо бы он позвонил мне вечером. 4. Напрасно я позвонила ему первой. 5. Жаль, что Петр не умеет работать с компьютером. 6. Зря я научилась работать на компьютере. Это как наркотик. 7. Хотелось бы, чтобы этот психолог не испытывал свои методы на моем ребенке. 8. Хорошо бы этот психиатр использовал более современные методы лечения. 9. Напрасно я не принял это лекарство от головной боли. 10. Зря я выпила эту таблетку от зубной боли. Теперь хочется спать. 11. Жаль, что Нина не всегда искренна со мной. 12. Досадно, что ты часто откровенничаешь с моими друзьями. 13. Напрасно вы были так откровенны. Ведь он наш конкурент. 14. Как жаль, что она не умеет ни петь, ни играть на музыкальном инструменте. 15. Жаль, что наш шеф не смог предупредить нас, что дело очень рискованное. 16. Я бы хотела, чтобы мой день рождения длился и длился, и чтобы я всегда была так же счастлива!