Express your wishes and regrets about yourself and your family.

a)

e.g.: You have no computer. – Oh, if I had a computer!

1. Your father smokes a lot.	8. You don’t think you are good – looking.
2. He is bad at sport.	9. You don’t speak French.
3. You can’t type.	10. Your parents work on Sundays.
4. You ate too much at the restaurant yesterday.	11. It’s not summer now.
5. Your parents divorced last month.	12. Your friend argues with you.
6. You are not hard – working.	13. Your boyfriend hasn’t made a proposal to you.
7. You haven’t bought a DVD yet.	14. You have just had your hair cut.

b)

e.g.: I can’t type. – I wish you could.

1. You know, I worry too much. – I wish _____________.

2. I overslept this morning and was late for work. ________________.

3. My friend isn’t very bright. __________________.

4. And my brother is desperately shy. __________________.

5. My husband’s broken my favourite vase. And I’m afraid he won’t apologize for it. ______________________.

6. Besides he drank too much at the party. _____________________.

7. I really want him to give up smoking. _________________.

8. My father didn’t want me to marry him. _____________________.

9. Our son doesn’t live in this city. _________________________.

10. He is rather obstinate. __________________________.

Match a statement (1 – 11) with a wish (a – k) and write the wishes in full using the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1. Almost everybody is a stranger to me here.	a) If only it (not to rain) all the time.
2. I feel so tired today.	b) Oh, if he (to give up) smoking.
3. The flat’s so hot in summer.	c) If only I (know) more people.
4. I hate buying shoes.	d) Now she wishes she (to go) to University.
5. I don’t like living here.	e) If only I (to look after) it better.
6. He smokes much.	f) I wish I (to be able) to sing.
7. My goldfish has died.	g) I wish I (to ask) for her consent.
8. I probably won’t meet her again.	h) I wish we (to have) a balcony.
9. They need another singer for the choir.	i) If only I (not to have) such big feet.
10. My feet are killing me.	j) Oh, if (to wear) more comfortable shoes.
11. She has no higher education.	k) I wish I (not to sit) up late last night.

Contrast wishes with facts.

e. g.: I wish I weren’t so old but I am.

1. I wish I earned more _______________.

2. If only I had followed your advice ________________.

3. If only I had a better typewriter ________________.

4. I wish I were a film star ____________.

5. I wish he had left earlier _______________.

6. I wish it would rain tomorrow ________________.

7. I wish my husband didn’t criticize me all the time _______________.

8. I wish I had long hair ___________________.

9. If only she loved me ___________________.

10. My parents wish I wouldn’t marry Alex _______________.

11. If only she had had more time _______________.

12. I wish your aunt Daphne didn’t come to visit us so often __________________.

13. She wished she remembered their anniversary ____________________.

14. If only the police had arrived in time ____________________.

15. I wish I had been wearing my black suit at the party _________________.

13. Express your wishes for the future. Use sentences with would – clauses for not very hopeful wishes.

e. g.: You are going on a trip to France and you really want your classmates to join you: I wish you would go on a trip to France with me.

1. You don’t like going to football matches alone. You want your best friend to go with you, though he may refuse as he is sitting up for his exams: ___________

2. You are expecting a letter and you want the postman to come earlier today though you’re not sure he will: _______________

3. You think your father is looking too hard. You want to tell him to go to hospital although he probably won’t listen to you: ___________________

4. You have written a letter of complaint to the garage. You want them to give an answer as quickly as possible, but they probably won’t: ______________

5. You are not very hopeful, but you want your older brother to join the party: _______________

6. You would like to dine out today and you want your friend to come with you: ______________

7. You are going to have a great sea voyage and you really want your classmates to accompany you: ____________________

14. Imagine you’re very unhappy about your roommate. Complain about your roommate’s bad habits using wish – sentences with would or wouldn’t.

e. g.: He/she keeps coming in so late. – I wish she wouldn’t come in so late. o r I wish she would come in earlier. o r I wish she would stop coming in so late.

1. He/she is impolite to your friends. 2. He/she makes a lot of noise in the morning. 3. He/she uses up all the hot water in the shower. 4. He/she stays in the bathroom too long. 5. He/she doesn’t write down phone messages. 6. He/she smokes cigarettes. 7. He/she leaves dirty clothes in the living room. 8. He/she doesn’t clean up the kitchen. 9. He/she doesn’t buy his/her own food. 10. He/she talks on the phone for hours. 11. He/she doesn’t turn the lights off. 12. He/she argues all the time. 13. He/she asks silly questions.