English grammar: Wish and if only

What this grammar point covers

‘Wish’ and ‘if only’ are phrases in English used to talk about things we want to be different, or things we regret about the past, present, or future.

When to use it

Use ‘wish’ and ‘if only’ to express regrets, things you would like to change, or things you hope will happen differently. They are common when talking about unreal or impossible situations.

Key forms

• wish + past simple: I wish I had more time.
• wish + past perfect: I wish I had studied harder.
• wish + would: I wish it would stop raining.
• if only + same forms: If only I knew the answer.

Examples

Tips

• After ‘wish’ or ‘if only’, use the past tense to talk about the present.
• Use ‘wish + would’ to talk about things you want to change in the future or things that annoy you.
• Do not use ‘would’ after ‘wish’ when the subject is the same (not: I wish I would...).

Exceptions and edge cases

• Do not use 'would' after 'wish' when talking about yourself (not: I wish I would...). Use 'could' or the past simple instead.