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Using wish
Message from ivonne_k2003 posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:11:19 (D | E | F)
Dear friends,
I have a question connected, of course, with your language.
Now I'm working with my group on the structure with "wish / if only". In different grammar books we can find different explanations... So I would like to know your opinion about it...
The situation is: "You're waiting for John. He's late and you're getting impatient. You say to yourself...." and here the students should write an answer.
Please, tell me which of the options(do) you find correct, and which are the best.
1. I wish John wouldn't be late.
2. I wish John wasn't / weren't late.
3. If only John could get here faster.
4. If only John was already here.
5. I wish John would come at last!
I'm waiting for your help. Ivonne
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Edited by lucile83 on 05-10-2011 07:05
Message from ivonne_k2003 posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:11:19 (D | E | F)
Dear friends,
I have a question connected, of course, with your language.
Now I'm working with my group on the structure with "wish / if only". In different grammar books we can find different explanations... So I would like to know your opinion about it...
The situation is: "You're waiting for John. He's late and you're getting impatient. You say to yourself...." and here the students should write an answer.
Please, tell me which of the options
1. I wish John wouldn't be late.
2. I wish John wasn't / weren't late.
3. If only John could get here faster.
4. If only John was already here.
5. I wish John would come at last!
I'm waiting for your help. Ivonne
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Edited by lucile83 on 05-10-2011 07:05
Re: Using wish from stammer, posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:31:02 (D | E)
Again, a completely ungrammatical and more instinctive viewpoint here:
The question marks are questions to other users who are much better versed in grammatical issues.
1. I wish (that?) John wouldn't be late. Sounds a bit odd to me, perhaps "I wish that John wouldn't be late everytime we tried to organise something." is acceptable but I prefer the second example.
2. I wish John wasn't / weren't late. I would say wasn't - I don't particularly know why, a bit of a "?" here.
3. If only John could get here faster. "If only" seems a bit poetic in this sort of context.
4. If only John was already here. Again, a bit poetic. I would say "were" in this instance, not was. ?
5. I wish John would come at last! To sound, in my opinion, incredibly 'young American' you could replace "at last" with "already". This would, I think, sound a bit more natural.
Sorry if this is of little/no help at all. I cannot really justify what I have written, but we shall see what others say.
Re: Using wish from notrepere, posted on 05-10-2011 at 00:22:18 (D | E)
HelloPerhaps I'm over thinking it but I think you could either say:
#1 I wish/If only John had arrived on time. (He's now late and you regret that he didn't arrive on time because you're standing in the rain.)
Regret: I wish/If only + past perfect
I think you're more likely to say this to yourself.
#2 I wish you wouldn't arrive so late all the time.
You'd be more likely to say this to John after he had arrived.
On the other hand, you could just say: Where the hell is John?
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Edited by notrepere on 05-10-2011 00:24
Re: Using wish from ivonne_k2003, posted on 05-10-2011 at 00:29:33 (D | E)
I find your last sentence really interesting but...
should I suggest it during a test? My students might be shocked...Cours gratuits > Forum > English only
