Wish and if only at B2: present, past and would
Wish and if only at B2 are followed by a past tense for present wishes (I wish I knew), the past perfect for past regrets (I wish I had listened) and would for things we want other people to change (I wish you would stop). They are tested regularly in Use of English Part 4. This guide is part of our B2 grammar guide.
By Eleanor BennettLast updated:
How wish works
We use wish to talk about situations we would like to be different. The key idea is the same as in the second and third conditionals: because the situation is unreal, the verb moves one step back in time.
- Present situation → past simple: I don't have a car. → I wish I had a car.
- Past situation → past perfect: I didn't go to the concert. → I wish I had gone to the concert.
- Ability → could: I can't dance. → I wish I could dance.
- Annoying behaviour or a change we want from someone else → would: My neighbour plays loud music. → I wish my neighbour would turn the music down.
If only has the same grammar but is stronger and more emotional: If only I had checked the date! It often appears on its own, as an exclamation.
Related structures
Three other expressions also take a past tense with present meaning, and they often appear alongside wish in key word transformations:
- It's (high) time + past simple: It's time we went home.
- would rather + someone + past simple: I'd rather you didn't tell anyone.
- as if / as though for unreal comparisons: He talks as if he knew everything.
Wish is also a natural way to express regret in Speaking Part 1 or 4 (I wish I had started learning English earlier) and in a story or article. Because wish + past perfect describes the past, it combines well with narrative tenses, and wish + could is close in meaning to the ability uses of modal verbs.
Wish and if only: forms and uses
| Use it to… | Phrases |
|---|---|
| wish / if only + past simple or continuous (present situation) |
|
| wish / if only + past perfect (past regret) |
|
| wish + could (ability or possibility) |
|
| wish + someone / something + would (wanting a change; often annoyance) |
|
| wish + infinitive or noun (formal wanting, good wishes) |
|
| It's time / would rather / as if |
|
Typical B1 to B2 mistakes with wish
Trap: I wish you pass your exam. Spanish ojalá, Italian spero che and Greek μακάρι can all express hope about the future, so learners use wish for it.
Fix: For a hope about something possible, use hope: I hope you pass your exam. Wish is for things that are unreal or unlikely.
Trap: I wish I would be taller or I wish I would have more time.
Fix: Don't use would about yourself or about states. Use the past simple: I wish I were taller, I wish I had more time.
Trap: I wish I didn't go to that party when talking about the past.
Fix: Past regret needs the past perfect: I wish I hadn't gone to that party.
Trap: I wish I have more friends here. Using a present tense after wish, common for Polish and German speakers, whose languages use a conditional mood here.
Fix: Move the tense back: I wish I had more friends here.
Trap: It's time we go or I'd rather you don't smoke here.
Fix: Both expressions take a past form with present meaning: It's time we went, I'd rather you didn't smoke here.
Worked example: wish in a key word transformation
The task
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
- It's a pity I didn't take any photos at the festival.
WISH
I ______ some photos at the festival.
- My flatmate never washes his dishes, and it really annoys me.
WOULD
I wish ______ his dishes.
- 1.
Item 1. It's a pity I didn't is a past regret. After wish, a past regret needs the past perfect, and the negative fact becomes positive: I wish I had taken.
- 2.
Count: wish + I + had + taken = 4 words. Notice that any changes to some in the second sentence, which tells you the verb must be positive.
- 3.
Item 2. The situation is annoying behaviour by another person, and the key word is WOULD. That is the pattern wish + someone + would + infinitive.
- 4.
The original is negative (never washes), and we want the opposite, so the verb is positive: I wish my flatmate would wash his dishes. Count: my + flatmate + would + wash = 4 words.
- 5.
Common wrong answers: I wish I took (wrong tense in item 1) and I wish my flatmate washed (it doesn't use the key word WOULD, so it gets no marks).
Answer
- I wish I had taken some photos at the festival.
- I wish my flatmate would wash his dishes.
Practice · Reading & Use of English Part 4
Key word transformations 1: Mixed grammar
Wish and if only: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between wish and if only?
The grammar is the same. If only is stronger and more emotional, and it is often used as an exclamation: If only I had listened to you! Wish is more neutral and more common in everyday speech.
When do I use wish + would?
Use it when you want someone or something else to change, often because their behaviour annoys you: I wish you would call me back. Don't use it about yourself: say I wish I had, not I wish I would have.
Is it "I wish I was" or "I wish I were"?
Both are accepted. I wish I were is more formal and is the traditional written form. I wish I was is very common in speech. In the exam, were is the safest choice.
What is the difference between wish and hope?
Use hope for things that are possible: I hope it's sunny tomorrow. Use wish for things that are unreal or impossible: I wish it were sunny today (it isn't).
How is wish tested in B2 First?
Mainly in key word transformations, where sentences with It's a pity, I regret or I'm sorry are rewritten with WISH or ONLY. Related structures such as it's time and would rather can also appear.