3. 2 I WISH, IF ONLY

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Question English Answer English
Look at these six-word stories.
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What does each person want to change about their life?
Wrong era, wrong class, wrong gender.
era - period in history; gender - sex
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Person who wants to change his time, his social standing and his gender.
when they were born, their social class and their gender
Really should have been a lawyer
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Person who wants to change his profession.
their career
Born London, lived elsewhere, died inside.
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Person who wants to come back to London, where he's born.
probably where they ended up living
Any chance I could start again?
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Person who wants to have a new opportunity.
everything - they want another chance
Worry about tomorrow, rarely enjoy today!
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Person who is afraid of the future and rarely enjoy the present.
their tendency to worry
Married, TV, computer, never any flowers.
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Person who wants to change his life and wish more romance.
probably a woman who wants to change her husband behaviour
Match sentences
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with stories.
I wish I could do it again.
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Any chance I could start again?
I wish I weren't so anxious.
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Worry about tomorrow, rarely enjoy today!
I wish I'd stayed where I was happy.
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Born London, lived elsewhere, died inside.
I wish he'd pay more attention to me.
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Married, TV, computer, never any flowers.
If only I hadn't become a doctor.
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Really should have been a lawyer
If only I'd been born twenty years later.
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Wrong era, wrong class, wrong gender.
Match sentences
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with rules.
RULE 1 Use wish/if only + past simple or wish/if only + could when you would like something to change, but it's impossible or not likely.
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I wish I could do it again. I wish I weren't so anxious.
RULE 2 Use wish/if only + past perfect to talk about regrets about the past.
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I wish I'd stayed where I was happy. If only I hadn't become a doctor. If only I'd been born twenty years later.
RULE 3 Use wish/if only + would to talk about things you want to happen or stop happening because they annoy you.
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I wish he'd pay more attention to me.
For each pair of sentences,
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complete the second sentence so that, it means the same as the first.
I'd really like to have a new laptop.
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I wish I had a new laptop.
I regret growing up in a small family.
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I wish I'd grown up in a large family/I hadn't grow up in a small family.
I'm not very sociable.
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If only I were/was more sociable/I weren't/wasn't so unsociable.
I've got a friend who speaks too quietly. It's very annoying.
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I wish he wouldn't speak so quietly/would speak louder/more loudly.
I can't get to sleep before about 2a.m.
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If only I could get to sleep before 2 a.m./earlier.
I often loose my temper with people.
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I wish I didn't lose my temper with people (so often).
I'm sorry I don't have my camera with me.
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I wish I had my camera with me.
I can't cook very well.
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I wish I could cook well/better.
I'm frustrated because it's raining.
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I wish it would stop raining.
I regret not spending more time with my grandfather.
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If only I'd spent more time with my grandfather.
I wish I had a new laptop.
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I wish I had a new beach house.
I wish I hadn't grown up in a small family.
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I wish I had grown up in a big family.
I regret growing up in a small family.
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I don't regret the things I have done. I just regret the things I didn't do when I had the chance.
I wish I could cook better.
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Do you? Why's that?
I don't regret the things I have done. I just regret the things I didn't do when I had the chance.
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Do you? What chances have you lost?
Underline the correct alternative
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in the sentences
It's difficult to work with Harry because he's quite antisocial. I wish we (?) each other more.
liked/had liked
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It's difficult to work with Harry because he's quite antisocial. I wish we liked each other more.
We're going to be late for the meal. I wish you (?).
hurried up/'d hurry up.
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We're going to be late for the meal. I wish you'd hurry up.
I have to take buses everywhere. If only I (?) how to drive.
knew/had known
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I have to take buses everywhere. If only I knew how to drive.
I didn't realise it would be so cold. I wish I (?) my coat with me.
brought/'d brought
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I didn't realise it would be so cold. I wish I 'd brought my coat with me.
We moved to a new flat last year, but I don't like the area. If only we (?) here.
didn't live/hadn't lived
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We moved to a new flat last year, but I don't like the area. If only we didn't live here.
I never knew your father. I wish I (?) him.
met/'d met
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I never knew your father. I wish I 'd met him.
I'd like to join a choir but my voice is awful. If only I (?) good at singing!
were/would be
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I'd like to join a choir but my voice is awful. If only I were good at singing!
I'm sorry but it's impossible. I wish I (?) help you but I can't.
would/could
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I'm sorry but it's impossible. I wish I could help you but I can't.
Complete the sentences
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using the information and the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
We live in the city and I hate it. If only we (live) in the country.
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We live in the city and I hate it. If only we lived in the country.
The bus is late and my feet are killing me. I wish the bus (come) and I wish I (wear) these shoes.
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The bus is late and my feet are killing me. I wish the bus would come and I wish I weren't/wasn't wearing these shoes.
I think we're lost and we don't have GPS. If only we (know) where we were. I wish we (remember) to bring our GPS.
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I think we're lost and we don't have GPS. If only we knew where we were. I wish we'd remembered to bring our GPS.
The neighbours were playing loud music last night. I wish they (play) their music so loudly. If only I (sleep) better, I wouldn't feel so tired now.
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The neighbours were playing loud music last night. I wish they wouldn't play/didn't play their music so loudly. If only I 'd slept better, I wouldn't feel so tired now.
I'm not very advanced because I only started learning English last year. If only I (start) learning English when I was younger.
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I'm not very advanced because I only started learning English last year. If only I'd started learning English when I was younger.
You bite your nails. I wish you (bite) your nails.
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You bite your nails. I wish you wouldn't bite your nails.

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