38. If I do … and If I did …
When we imahine something that will not happen, or we don’t expect that it will happen, we use if + past (if we went / if there was / if you found etc.). But the meaning is not past
For if … was / were, see Unit 39C
We do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence:
But you can use if … would when you ask somebody to do something:
(from a formal letter) I would be grateful if you would let me know your decision as sson as possible.
In hte other part of the sentence (not the if-part) we use would (‘d) / wouldn’t
Could and might are also possible.
- If I won a lot of money, I might buy a house. (= it is possible that I would buy a house)
- If it stopped raining, we could go out. (= we would be able to go out)
39. If I knew … I wish I knew…
When use the past in the same way after wish (I wish I knew / I wish you were etc.). We use wish to say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it to be.
- I wish I knew Paul’s phoe number. (= I don;t know it and I regret this)
- Do you ever wish you could fly?
- It’s very crowded here. I wish there weren’t so many people. (there are a lot of people)
If I were / if I was
After if and wish, you can use were instead of was (if I were / I wish it were etc.)
If I was / I wish it was are also possible.
We do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence or after wish
- If I were rich, I would travel a lot. (not If I would be rich)
- Who would you ask if you needed help? (not if you would need)
- I wish I had something to read. (not I wish I would have)
Simetimes wish … would is possible. I wish you would listen. See Unit 41
Could sometimes means ‘would be able to’ and sometimes ‘was / were able to’:
- She could get a better job if she could speak English. (she could get = she would be able to get === if she could speak = if she was / were able to speak)
- I wish I could help you. (I wish I could = I wish I was able)
40. If I had known … / I wish I had known …
If i’d known (= If I had known) you were in hospital. This tells us that she didn’t know
We use if + had (‘d) … to talk about the past (if I had known / been done etc.)
Compare:
- I’m not hungry, If I was hungry, I would eat something. (now)
- I wasn’t hungry. If I had been hungry, I would have eaten something (past)
Do not use would in the if-part of the sentence. We use would in the other part of the sentence.
If I had seen you, I would have said heelo. (not If I would have seen you)
Note that ‘d can be would or had:
- If I’d seen you. (I’d seen = I had seen)
- I’d have said hello. (I’d have said = I would have said)
We use had (done) in the same way after wish. I wish something had happened = I am sorry that it didn’t happen:
Do not use would have … after wish:
The weather was cold when we were on holiday. I wish it had been warmer. (not I wish it would have been)
Compare would (do) and would have (done):
- If I’d gone to the party last night, I would be tired now. (I am not tired now - present)
- If I’d gone to the party last night, I ould have met lots of people. (I didn’t meet lots of people - past)
Compare would have, could have and might have:
If the weather hadn’t been so bad, | we would have gone out. |
If the weather hadn’t been so bad, | we could have gone out, (= we would have been able to go out) |
If the weather hadn’t been so bad, | we might have gone out. (= perhaps we would have gone out) |
41. Wish
You can say ‘I wish you luck / all the best / a happy birthday’ etc.
We say ‘wish somebody something’ (luck / a happy birthday etc.) But you cannot say ‘I wish that somehing happens’. We use hope in this situation.
I’m sorry you’re not well. I hope you feel beyyer soon. (not I wish you feel)
Compare I wish and I hope:
- I wish you a pleasant stay here.
- I hope you have a pleasant stay here. (not I wish you have)
I wish I could (do something) = I regret that I cannot do it
I wish I could have (done something) = I regret that I could not do it
You can say ‘I wish (somebody) would (do something)’
We use I wish … would when we would like something to happen of change. Usually, the speaker doesn’t expect this to happen.
We often use I wish … would to complain about a situation:
- The phone has been ringing for five minutes, I wish somebody would answer it
- I wish you’d do (= you would do) something instead of just sitting and doing nothing.
You can use I wish… wouldn’t… to complain about things that people do repeatedly
I wish you wouldn’t keep iterrupting me. (= please don’t interrupt me)
We use I wish … would … to say that we want something to happen. But we do not use I wish … would … to say how we would like things to be. Compare:
- I wish Sarah would come. (= I want her to cme.) but,
but, I wish Sarah was (or were) here now. (not I wish Sarah would be)
I wish somebody would buy me a car.
- but, I wish I had a car. (not I wish I would have)