Grammar / B1+ Grammar lessons and exercises / Second and third conditionals: Unreal conditionals
I wish / If only – Grammar Chart
🟦I wish + past simple → Present/Future Unreal
Use wish + subject + past simple to talk about things you’d like to be different in the present or future — but that are unlikely or impossible.
✅ I wish things were different.
✅ We wish we had enough money to help you.
✅ I wish I could be there for you tomorrow.
💡 After I/he/she/it, you can use were (formal) or was (informal):
“I wish I were taller.” / “I wish she was here.”
🟩I wish + past perfect → Past Regret
Use wish + subject + past perfect to express regret about the past — things you wish had happened differently.
✅ I wish I hadn’t quit my job two years ago.
✅ I wish we hadn’t wasted all that money.
✅ She wishes she had studied harder.
🟪I wish + would → Annoying Situations
Use wish + person/thing + would + base verb to complain about recurring actions you want to stop or change.
✅ I wish you would stop biting your nails.
✅ I wish it would stop raining!
✅ They wish he would listen to them.
❌ Never use “I wish I would…”** — it’s grammatically incorrect.
❌ “I wish I would be taller.” → ✅ “I wish I were taller.”
🟨If only… (More Emphatic!)
If only has the same meaning as I wish, but it’s **stronger and more emotional**.
✅ If only I were a bit taller!
✅ If only you had followed my advice.
✅ If only you would make an effort!
📌 Key Rules:
🔸 I wish + past simple → present/future unreal
🔸 I wish + past perfect → past regret
🔸 I wish + would → complaint about others/things (NOT yourself!)
🔸 If only = stronger version of I wish
🔸 Use were (or was) after I/he/she/it