constructions Wit H Wis H we use

constructions Wit. H Wis. H

we use it when we would like to express our ideas, willing and even sorrows

what does it mean?

constructions with the verb wish express hypothetical, unlikely or unreal wishes: ex: i wish you were here. subjunctive mood is used in subordinate clauses after the verb wish to express wishes about the situations that exist at the present time and about the situations that existed in the past. the verbs could, would are often used in subordinate clauses after the verb wish: ex: i wish i could fly. i wish it would stop raining.

The verbs MAY, MIGHT, SHOULD are generally not used after the verb WISH in such constructions. The conjunction "that" introducing object clauses in constructions with WISH is often omitted: Ex: I wish (that) I knew the answer. I wish (that) I had known about it before.

Construction WISH + Past Subjunctive The existing situation is not the way the speaker would like it to be, but changing the situation is unreal or unlikely. The speaker expresses regret about the existing situation in the form of a wish that the situation were different. The verb in the subordinate clause after WISH is used in the Past Subjunctive, which is the same in form as the Simple Past for main verbs (e. g. , asked, did), and the verb BE has the form WERE for all persons. The examples below show the existing situations and wishes for changing these situations.

Situation 1 i don't know his address. Wish: I wish I knew his address. Meaning: I would like to know his address, but I don't know it, and I can't find it out now. It's a pity that I don't know his address. Я не знаю его адрес. Пожелание: I wish I knew his address. Значение: Я хотел бы знать его адрес, но не знаю, и не могу его сейчас узнать. Жаль, что я не знаю его адрес.

Situation 2 I have an old car. Wish: I wish I had a new car. Meaning: I would like to have a new car, but it's not possible now. It's a pity that I don't have a new car. У меня старая машина. Пожелание: I wish I had a new car. Значение: Я хотел бы, чтобы у меня была новая машина, но это невозможно сейчас. Жаль, что у меня нет новой машины.

Situation 3 She has to work on Saturday. Wish: She wishes she didn't have to work on Saturday. Meaning: She would like not to have to work on Saturday. She is sorry that she has to work on Saturday. Она должна работать в субботу. Пожелание: She wishes she didn't have to work on Saturday. Значение: Она хотела бы, чтобы ей не нужно было работать в субботу. Она сожалеет, что она должна работать в субботу.

Situation 4 He is not here. Wish: I wish he were here. Meaning: I would like him to be here, but he isn't here. It's a pity that he isn't here. Его нет здесь. Пожелание: I wish he were here. Значение: Я хотел бы, чтобы он был здесь, но его нет здесь. Жаль, что его нет здесь.

Situation 5 His parents are poor. Wish: He wishes his parents were rich. Meaning: He would like his parents to be rich, but to his regret, they are not rich. Его родители бедные. Пожелание: He wishes his parents were rich. Значение: Он хотел бы, чтобы его родители были богаты, но к его сожалению, они не богаты.

Note: WERE and WAS The verb BE is sometimes used in the form WAS instead of WERE for the first and third person singular in constructions with WISH in informal speech, especially in British English: Ex: I wish I was younger. I wish he was here. I wish it was warmer.

construction Wis. H + coul. D + simple infinitive The verb COULD with the simple infinitive is used after WISH to express wishes in the situations where ability to do something is indicated. The same as the construction with the Past Subjunctive described above, the construction with the verb COULD expresses regret about the existing situation and a wish for changing this situation.

examples: Situation: I can't sing. – Wish: I wish I could sing. Ситуация: Я не умею петь. – Пожелание: Мне жаль / хотелось бы, чтобы я умел петь. I can't speak Chinese. – I wish I could speak Chinese. Я не умею говорить по-китайски. – Мне жаль / хотелось бы уметь говорить покитайски.

construction Wis. H + Woul. D + co simple infinitive The verb WOULD with the simple infinitive is used after WISH to express a wish that someone would do something to change the existing situation. The wish is usually a combination of a request to do something and a complaint about the existing situation or about someone's actions. Since the speaker addresses his wish to someone else, WOULD is used with the pronouns "he, she, it, you, they", but not with "I, we".

Example: Situation: You use my computer without my permission. – Wish: I wish you wouldn't use my computer without my permission. Ситуация: Вы пользуетесь моим компьютером без моего разрешения. – Пожелание: Я хотел бы, чтобы вы не пользовались моим компьютером без моего разрешения. You interrupt me all the time. – I wish you wouldn't interupt me. Вы меня все время прерываете. – Хотелось бы, чтобы вы меня не прерывали.

Important note Wishes in constructions with the verb WISH express hypothetical, unlikely, or unreal actions, with additional emotions of regret or complaint about the existing situation. Do not use such constructions when you want, would like, or hope to do something, or want to ask someone to do something.

Compare these sentences: She wishes she were an actress. – She wants to be an actress. She wants to become an actress. She would like to become an actress. She hopes to become an actress. Ей хотелось бы, чтобы она была актрисой. / Ей жаль, что она не актриса. – Она хочет быть актрисой. Она хочет стать актрисой. Она хотела бы стать актрисой. Она надеется стать актрисой. I wish I could buy a new car. – I want to buy a new car. I would like to buy a new car. I hope to buy a new car. Жаль, что я не могу купить новую машину. – Я хочу купить новую машину. Я хотел бы купить новую машину. Я надеюсь купить новую машину.

Wishes about the past construction Wis. H + past perfect subjunctive The situation existed in the past. The speaker regrets that something happened (or didn't happen) in the past. Though changing the past situation is impossible, the speaker expresses regret in the form of a wish that the situation in the past had been different. The verb in the subordinate clause after WISH is used in the Past Perfect Subjunctive, which is the same in form as the Past Perfect (e. g. , had asked, had done). The examples below show the past situations and wishes / regrets about them.

example: I forgot to call her yesterday. – I wish I hadn't forgotten to call her yesterday. Я забыл ей позвонить вчера. – Жаль, что я забыл ей позвонить вчера. I didn't help her. – I wish I had helped her. Я не помог ей. – Жаль, что я не помог ей. I didn't buy that book. – I wish I had bought that book. Я не купил ту книгу. – Жаль, что я не купил ту книгу.

Note: WISH and WISHED If the wish was made in the past, the verb WISH is used in the past tense, i. e. , WISHED. Past Subjunctive and Past Perfect Subjunctive are used after WISHED in the same way as after WISH. Compare these sentences: She wishes she knew his address. – She wished she knew his address. Она жалеет, что она не знает его адрес. – Она жалела, что она не знает его адрес. She wishes she could play chess. – She wished she could play chess. Она жалеет, что она не умеет играть в шахматы. – Она жалела, что она не умеет играть в шахматы.

Construction WISH + COULD + perfect infinitive The verb COULD with the perfect infinitive (e. g. , could have asked, could have done) is used after WISH to express regret about the past situations in which ability to do something was indicated. She couldn't come to the party. – I wish she could have come to the party. Она не смогла прийти на вечеринку. – Жаль, что она не смогла прийти на вечеринку. I couldn't visit her yesterday. – I wish I could have visited her yesterday. Я не смог навестить ее вчера. – Жаль, что я не смог навестить ее вчера.

Note: COULD + Perfect Infinitive The verb COULD with the perfect infinitive has several meanings and is rather difficult to use. It is advisable for language learners to limit the use of COULD with the perfect infinitive in constructions with WISH using it only in the most obvious cases. In a number of cases, you can use Past Perfect Subjunctive instead: I wish I could have helped him. I wish I had helped him.

Note: WOULD + Perfect Infinitive The verb WOULD with the perfect infinitive (e. g. , would have asked, would have done) is not used after WISH in standard speech and writing to express wishes about the past. You may sometimes hear this construction in informal speech, with the same meaning as in the construction WISH + Past Perfect Subjunctive: I wish she would have come to the party. I wish you would have told me the truth. It is advisable for language learners to avoid using WOULD with the perfect infinitive in constructions with WISH in speech and writing. Use the Past Perfect Subjunctive in such situations: I wish she had come to the party. I wish you had told me the truth.