I wish and If only Cambridge University Press

I wish and If only © Cambridge University Press 2017

What are the goldfish thinking? I wish he would stop staring at me. Betty Bob If only I hadn’t eaten so much food. I wish I had a better home. I wish I could remember her name. I wish I could invite him over. If only I could jump into her bowl. © Cambridge University Press 2017

I wish I remembered her name. I wish + simple past = present wish I hadn’t swum over here. I wish + past perfect = past regret © Cambridge University Press 2017

If only I could be in that bowl. if only + subject + simple past = present wish If only I hadn’t eaten so much food. if only + subject + past perfect = past regret © Cambridge University Press 2017

GET IT RIGHT! to the party. wentgone I wish I had � � � If only I had have $3, I’d buy some ice cream. I wish I could had leave school now. © Cambridge University Press 2017

Language in action Sally: What’s wrong, Leo? Leo: Nothing!!! Sally: OK. You don’t need to snap at me. I wish you weren’t so bad-tempered sometimes. Leo: Sorry. I just got my science project back and I only got a B. I tried my hardest, but it wasn’t good enough. If only I’d worked harder. Sally: Come on, Leo! You got a B, not a D – you’re overreacting. I wish you’d get some perspective – your grades are always good and a B is still a good grade. I got a C. Leo: But if I don’t get better grades, I won’t get into college and then I won’t get a job and then … Sally: Stop it Leo! I wish you were more positive about life. Everything will work out well. Now stop being dramatic and pull yourself together. Leo: Sorry, I’ve let you down. Sally: LEO!!! © Cambridge University Press 2017

Can you remember the rules? 1 We can use I wish or if only to talk about how we would like things to be different now or in the future. The verb that follows I wish / if only is in the simple past tense. I wish I knew her name. (I don’t know her name and I’m sorry about that. ) If only I could stay in bed a little longer. (I can’t stay in bed longer, but I want to!) © Cambridge University Press 2017

Can you remember the rules? 2 We can also use I wish or if only to talk about regrets we have about the past. In this case, the verb that follows I wish / if only is in the past perfect tense. I wish you’d told me about it before. (You didn’t tell me about it and I’m not happy about this. ) If only I hadn’t missed that penalty. (I missed the penalty and I regret it. ) © Cambridge University Press 2017

Make a caption for each picture using I wish or if only. © Cambridge

Think about your wishes and regrets. A d. a h ou sh y i w u o yy t i l a qu Something you wish you hadn’t bought. ee s d l u ou co ten f o e or . m A spor t you wish y good a ou were t. Something you wish you had/hadn’t done this week. w u o y A country you wish you ody b e m So lived in. you n o s r pe s u o eet. m m d A fa l u u co o y h y s l wi mi A a f m a i s h t ake you wis u o. y made w o g d n young t i ’ h n t d e hen yo l u t hat you Som wo u were r e b w m i s e h you ha m dn’t. ish y © Cambridge University Press 2017

Acknowledgements The authors and publishers acknowledge the following sources of copyright material and are grateful for the permissions granted. While every effort has been made, it has not always been possible to identify the sources of all the material used, or to trace all copyright holders. If any omissions are brought to our notice, we will be happy to include the appropriate acknowledgements on reprinting and in the next update to the digital edition, as applicable. The publishers are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright photographs and material: Slide 2: ©Rubberball/Mike Kemp/Getty Images. The publishes are grateful to the following illustrator: David Semple. Written by Emma Szlachta. © Cambridge University Press 2017