Wish and if only: is it too late? Wish exercises for wishes, regrets and complaints
About this lesson
This B2 drill lesson gives wish and if only exercises for a different present, a regret about the past and a change you want from someone else.
- Grammar
- Wish / if only + past simple, were or could; + had + past participle; + would for another person or thing; and hope for what may still happen.
- Topic
- Regrets and hopes: Dear Marguerite, an invented advice column, with a letter about a neighbor's fence, one about a sold lake cabin, her replies and a chat with Imogen.
- Activities
- Sorting, choices, gap-fills, word order, matching, find-the-mistake quizzes, a memory game, tables, drag-and-drop letters, an anagram, a chat and a final test.
What's inside
Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: wish and if onlyGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the sentences: now, the past or a change?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the right formChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: the right form of the word in bracketsFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2Not true now: wish + past
- Fill in the gaps: wish + past simple for nowFill in the gapsTry it
- Choose the right words: be and can after wishChoose the optionUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: wishes about nowUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the facts and the wishesMatchUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: wishes about nowQuizUnlock
- Read Kalinda's post and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
Chapter 3If only I'd known: wish + past perfect
- Find the matching pairs: what happened and the regretMemory gameUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: wish + past perfectFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right form: regrets about the pastChoose the optionTry it
- Put the words in the right order: regretsUnjumbleUnlock
- Fill in the table: what happened and the regretFill in the tableUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: regretsQuizUnlock
- Read Bronwyn's post and fill in the gaps: wish + past perfectFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 4Please stop! Wish + would, and hope
- Fill in the gaps: wish + would for a change you wantFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right form: would, could or the past?Choose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right word: hope or wish?Choose the optionUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the ends of the sentencesMatchTry it
- Choose the right sentence for the situationQuizUnlock
- Read the letter to the editor and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: now, the past or a change you wantFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: Dear Marguerite
- Read the advice columnReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the column again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read another letter to Marguerite and fill in the gaps: now, the past or a changeFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Marguerite's reply and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Imogen texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right form: everyday wishesChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps with wish + past: if only things were differentFill in the gapsUnlock
- Fill in the gaps with wish + past perfect: looking backFill in the gapsUnlock
- Fill in the gaps with wish + would: things that drive me crazyFill in the gapsUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: if only…UnjumbleUnlock
- Fill in the table: now and in the pastFill in the tableUnlock
- Match the situations and the wishes: everyday problemsMatchUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: verb and past participleMemory gameUnlock
- Unscramble the past participlesAnagramUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: everyday EnglishQuizUnlock
- Choose the right word: hope or wish in messagesChoose the optionUnlock
- Sort the sentences: correct or wrong?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
- Read Anouk's postcard and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Dashiell's review and fill in the gaps: wish and if onlyFill in the gapsUnlock
Grammar: wish and if only: now, the past and a change
Wish is for things that aren't true or didn't happen. A wish about now takes the past, a regret about the past takes the past perfect, and would is for a change you want from another person or thing. If only takes the same forms but sounds stronger: If only I'd known!
Wish and if only: wishes, regrets and complaints
Wish for a different present with the past, regret the past with the past perfect, and ask for a change with would.
A wish about now: past, were, could
Something untrue now takes the past simple: I wish I lived by the ocean. Be becomes were (was is fine after I, he, she, it), and can becomes could: I wish I could speak Chinese.
I wish / If onlysubjectpast simple · were · could
I don't have a car. I wish I had one.
If only it were Friday! (was is fine too after I, he, she, it)
I wish I could speak Chinese.
A regret: had + past participle
For the past, use had or hadn't and the past participle: I wish I had listened to my mom. If only we hadn't sold the house last year! Had often shortens to 'd: She wishes she'd studied harder.
I wish / If onlysubjecthad (not) + past participle
I wish I had listened to my mom.
If only we hadn't sold the house last year!
She wishes she'd studied harder at school. ('d = had)
A change you want: would
Would points at another person or thing: I wish you would stop talking during movies. I wish the phone would stop ringing! It never follows I wish I, and no present tense or will follows wish: I wish I had, not have.
A change you want: wish + would
I wish / If onlyanother person or thingwould (not) + verb
I wish you would stop talking during movies.
I wish the phone would stop ringing!
I wish my brother wouldn't leave dirty dishes everywhere.
Not with I · no present or will after wish
wish + would is for other people and things, never for yourself: I wish I knew (not: I wish I would know). I wish I could stop (not: I wish I would stop). After wish, never use a present tense or will: I wish I had (not: have) more time. For things that may happen, use hope: I hope (not: wish) you'll come.
Wish or hope?
Hope is for things that may happen and takes a present tense or will: I hope you feel better soon. Wish is for what isn't true or didn't happen: I wish I felt better. I wish it hadn't rained yesterday.
hope: it may happen
- hope + present or will, for things that are possible
- I hope you feel better soon.
- I hope it won't rain tomorrow.
wish: it isn't true, or it didn't happen
- wish + past, past perfect or would
- I wish I felt better. (I feel sick.)
- I wish it hadn't rained yesterday.
Signal words and common mistakes
Signal words point to the form: now or today for the past, yesterday or last year for had + participle, keeps + -ing or Please stop! for would. Watch for I wish I have, I wish I didn't go and I wish you will come.
Which form?
| What you mean | Form | Example | Signal words |
|---|---|---|---|
| A wish about now | past simple or past continuous | I wish I knew the answer. · I wish I weren't working today. | now, at the moment, today |
| be in a wish | were (was is fine after I, he, she, it) | I wish you were here. · I wish it were (was) warmer. | now |
| Ability now | could + verb (can → could) | I wish I could draw. | I can't… |
| A regret about the past | had (not) + past participle | I wish I had called you. · If only I hadn't eaten so much! | yesterday, last year, then, when I was young |
| A change you want from another person or thing | would (not) + verb | I wish you would call more often. · I wish he wouldn't shout. | always, keeps + -ing, Please stop! |
| If only | the same forms as wish, but stronger | If only I had more time! · If only I'd known! | often with ! |
Common mistakes
I wish I have more free time.
I wish I had more free time.
a wish about now → past simple
I wish I didn't go to that party last night.
I wish I hadn't gone to that party last night.
the past → past perfect
I wish I would know her number.
I wish I knew her number.
no would after I wish I
I wish you will come to my party.
I hope you'll come to my party.
it may happen → hope
Examples
- I wish I lived by the ocean.now: I don't live there
- If only I knew what to say!now: I don't know
- I wish I hadn't eaten that last cookie.the past: I ate it
- If only you had told me earlier!the past: you didn't tell me
- I wish the neighbors would stop arguing.a change I want
- I hope you like the present!hope: it may happen
More lessons on this grammar: Third and mixed conditionals lessons and exercises
Try the wish and if only exercises
Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.
What's in the lesson
- 38 auto-checked exercises
- 6 games
- 1 real-life document
- 1 grammar scheme
- 1 picture
The main objectives of this lesson are to:
- wish for a different present with the past, were or could: I wish I knew her phone number. I wish I could swim.
- regret the past with had + past participle: I wish I hadn't gone to bed so late, not I wish I didn't go
- ask for a change from someone else with would, never about yourself: I wish you would answer your phone, but I wish I knew, not I wish I would know
- choose hope for what may still happen: I hope you get the job, not I wish you get the job
- Grammar:
- wish + past simple · wish + past perfect · wish + would · if only · wish vs hope
- Topic:
- grammar practice · wishes and regrets · advice column · everyday life
Teaching tips
- Ask for the fact behind each wish: before a gap, students say what is really true (I don't know her name, I didn't call), then build the wish from that fact.
- Collect roommate complaints: students write three habits that annoy them at home and turn each into a wish with would: I wish my roommate would close the fridge. Partners guess who it's about.
- Reply to the lake-cabin letter first: pairs write two lines of advice with one wish and one hope, then compare them with Marguerite's reply in the drag-and-drop task.
Liked it?
Teach the whole lesson in edio
44 exercises in 6 chapters, ready to teach. edio is an online platform for language schools and teachers: ready-made interactive lessons, live classes, homework and student progress in one place.
Start a free trial
7 days, no credit card.
Open the lesson
Find it in the library of 621 ready lessons. Teach it as it is, or copy any chapter into your own lessons.
Teach it live or as homework
Students work in their own accounts, in sync with you during the lesson, and the practice exercises check themselves.
The whole course: English Grammar Practice · B2
English Grammar Practice · B2 has 24 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the future perfect and continuous, the third and mixed conditionals, wishes, past modals, the impersonal passive, have something done, participle clauses, reporting verbs and verb patterns. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course
- 1Future continuous and future perfect: countdown to launch
- 2Future in the past: it was going to be perfect
- 3Past perfect continuous: what had been going on?
- 4Third conditional: if I hadn't missed that train…
- 5Mixed conditionals: where would you be now?
- 6Unless, in case and as long as: on one condition
- 7Wish and if only: is it too late?
- 8Would rather, had better and it's time: the couch crisis
- 9Past modals of deduction: what must have happened here?
- 10Should have and needn't have: what went wrong?
- 11Impersonal passive: it is said that…, she is said to…
- 12Have and get something done: who did the work?
- 13Non-defining relative clauses: the extra information
- 14Participle clauses: having planned everything
- 15Reporting verbs: what did they really say?
- 16Verbs + -ing or to: stop doing or stop to do?
- 17Make, let, allow and get: who makes the rules?
- 18Dependent prepositions: depend on, interested in, a reason for
- 19So do I and neither do I: agree, disagree and insist
- 20Articles with general ideas: life or the life?
- 21As, like and as if: interview like a pro
- 22Negative and echo questions: didn't you know?
- 23To, in order to and so that: what's it for?
- 24No use, no point and worth + -ing: what's worth your time?