I Wish and If Only Examples

What “I wish” and “if only” express

We use wish and if only to talk about things we would like to be different. They often show regret, disappointment, or mild annoyance. The verb form that follows moves one step back in time compared with the situation we mean, in a similar way to conditional sentences.

If only has a very similar meaning to I wish but is usually stronger or more emotional.

Situation	Structure	Example
Present or future	wish + past simple	I wish I lived closer to my family.
Past	wish + past perfect	I wish I had studied harder.
Annoyance or change	wish + would	I wish you would stop talking.

Wishes about the present

To talk about a present situation we would like to be different, use wish or if only followed by a past simple form. The past form does not refer to past time here; it signals that the situation is unreal or unlikely.

I wish I had a bigger kitchen. (I do not have one.)
She wishes she lived in the city.
I wish I knew the answer.
We wish we didn’t have to work today.
If only we knew what to do.
He wishes he could afford a holiday.
I wish it weren’t so cold.
If only I spoke French.

Wishes about the past

To express regret about something that already happened, use wish or if only with the past perfect (had + past participle).

I wish I hadn’t eaten so much.
If only I had listened to your advice.
She wishes she had taken the job.
They wish they had arrived earlier.
If only I hadn’t lost her phone number.
I wish we had saved more money.

Complaints and annoyance with “would”

To say that we are annoyed by what someone or something does or does not do, use wish + would. It often suggests we would like a change but think it may not happen.

I wish you wouldn’t borrow my clothes without asking.
I wish he would call more often.
I wish it would stop raining.
If only you would make an effort.
I wish the neighbours wouldn’t play loud music at night.

Do not use wish + would with the same subject to talk about yourself. We say I wish I could…, not I wish I would…

Using could

Could is often used with wish for ability or possibility.

I wish I could play the piano.
I wish I could be there tomorrow.
If only I could remember her name.
I wish I could have gone to the party. (past regret: could have + past participle)

“If only” versus “I wish”

The two are similar in structure. If only is more emphatic, and it can be used on its own as an exclamation, with or without a main clause.

I wish I were taller.
If only I were taller!
If only it would stop raining.
If only I had known, I would have helped.

Was or were?

After wish and if only, were is often used with I, he, she, and it, especially in careful or formal writing. Was is common in everyday speech and is accepted by many speakers.

I wish I were on holiday.
I wish I was on holiday.
If only he were here.

Wish, the second conditional, and the third conditional

The tense pattern in wishes is closely linked to the second and third conditionals.

Pattern	Example
Second conditional (present, unreal)	If I had more time, I would learn Spanish.
Wish about the present	I wish I had more time.
Third conditional (past, unreal)	If I had left earlier, I would have caught the train.
Wish about the past	I wish I had left earlier.

You can also combine them. If only I didn’t have a headache, I could go to the party tonight. Here if only begins a conditional clause, and the main clause uses could or would. This is an expressive form of the second conditional.

Wish versus hope

Hope is used for things that are possible, so the verb is in a normal tense. Wish is used for unreal or unlikely situations, so the verb moves back one tense.

I hope it stops raining. (it might)
I wish it would stop raining. (we are frustrated and unsure)
I hope you passed the exam. (we do not know the result)
I wish you had passed the exam. (we know you did not)

Wish can also take a different pattern, as in I wish you a happy birthday or I wish to speak to the manager. These are not the unreal wishes covered here.

Common mistakes

Using the present tense. Incorrect: I wish I have more time. Correct: I wish I had more time.
Using would for yourself. Incorrect: I wish I would be taller. Correct: I wish I were taller.
Using the past simple for a past regret. Incorrect: I wish I didn’t go there. Correct: I wish I hadn’t gone there.
Mixing up hope and wish. Use hope for real possibilities.

Quick practice

Complete the sentences with the correct form. For more mixed practice, try the sentence correction exercises.

I wish I ____ (have) a car. Answer: had
If only she ____ (tell) me earlier. Answer: had told
I wish the dog ____ (stop) barking. Answer: would stop
He wishes he ____ (be) taller. Answer: were (or was)

Frequently asked questions

How do I use “I wish” and “if only”? Follow them with a past simple for present situations, a past perfect for past regrets, and would for annoying behaviour.

What are some examples of wishes? I wish I could fly. I wish I had more free time. If only I had listened.

Can you use the past simple and the second conditional with wish? Yes. Both use a past form for an unreal present situation, as in If I had a car, I would drive. I wish I had a car.

Is “if only” stronger than “I wish”? It is generally more emphatic, but the grammar is the same.