This month Starbucks is running the wish on a red cup campaign. Coincidentally, my lesson this week is about the grammatical usage of wish. Let's take a closer look at how to use wish in a sentence.
- I wish I (simple past verb) ~ I wish I had a big house.
- I wish I (past perfect verb)~ I wish I hadn't drunk so much.
- I wish (somebody) would/ wouldn't (verb) ~ I wish my husband would help me do the dishes.
Using can
(Reality) ~ I can't play the cello.
(I can't play the cello and I regret it) I wish I could play the cello.
Using be
(Reality) ~ I am not strong.
(I am not strong and I regret this) I wish I were strong.
Next, let's look at when to use wish + past perfect. We use this when we wish something had/hadn't happened. We are sorry that it didn't happen. For example, I went shopping and made an impulse purchase. I bought a 300,000 Yen coat on my credit card and now I can't afford to pay for it. I wish I hadn't bought the coat.
Here is another example: My friend who is a stockbroker tells me to buy XYZ stock but I don't listen to his advice. Six months later, the stock is 80 times the original price. At that moment you are thinking... Ooh, I wish I had bought XYZ stocks.
Last but not least is the I wish (somebody) would/ wouldn't (verb) form. We use this to complain about a situation or to complain about things that people do repeatedly. For example, your partner never helps around the house but of course you would like him/her to. ~~I wish my husband would help around the house.
My wife snores at night and I can't sleep.~~ I wish my wife would stop snoring.
So, what are your wishes this holiday season? I wish...
Vocabulary
impulse purchase~ 衝動買い（したもの）
stockbroker~ 株式仲買人
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