Wish and If Only: B2 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. I wish I ___ more time to prepare for the viva next week. → had

A wish about the present situation takes the past simple, which marks it as unreal.

2. I wish I ___ that in front of the whole department. → hadn't said

Regret about a completed past action takes wish plus the past perfect.

3. I wish he ___ interrupting every time somebody else starts a sentence. → would stop

Wish plus would complains about somebody else's repeated behaviour.

4. Which sentence is INCORRECT? → I wish I would help.

Wish plus would cannot take the same subject, because you cannot complain about your own behaviour.

5. If only I ___ the small print before I signed the lease. → had read

If only follows exactly the same patterns as wish, so past regret takes the past perfect.

6. I'd rather you ___ that to anyone else, if you don't mind. → didn't mention

Would rather plus a different subject takes the unreal past for a present request.

7. She wishes she ___ taller, though nobody else has ever noticed her height. → were

Wish about a present state of being takes were for all subjects in careful English.

8. I wish this flat ___ more light — the back rooms are dark even in June. → had

Dissatisfaction with a present situation takes the past simple after wish.

9. The difference between 'I wish he stopped' and 'I wish he would stop' is that ___. → the second complains about a habit he could change

Would makes the wish a complaint about willingness rather than about the situation.

10. We regret ___ you that the position has now been filled. → to inform

Regret plus a to-infinitive delivers bad news formally at the moment of speaking.

11. He regrets ___ the offer without consulting his family. → accepting

Regret plus a gerund refers back to something the subject actually did.

12. I wish I ___ pay attention in those statistics lectures. → had

Regret about a past failure to act takes wish plus had plus the past participle.

13. If only they ___ answer their emails within the same fortnight. → would

A complaint about other people's habitual behaviour takes would after if only.

14. I wish I ___ speak Italian well enough to follow the news. → could

A wish about present ability uses could rather than the past of can with did.

15. Which sentence expresses regret about something that DID happen? → I wish I had bought the flat.

Wish plus the past perfect always looks back at a real completed event.

16. I'd rather we ___ this in front of the client, frankly. → didn't discuss

Would rather plus subject plus unreal past objects to something proposed for now.

17. She wishes she ___ studied law rather than accountancy. → had

Regret about an unchangeable past choice takes wish plus had plus participle.

18. If only it ___ so far to the nearest station. → weren't

A complaint about a permanent present fact takes the unreal past of be.

19. I wish you ___ me before you rearranged the whole schedule. → had asked

The rearranging is finished, so the reproach takes the past perfect.

20. Which sentence is a polite objection rather than a regret? → I'd rather you didn't smoke in here.

Would rather plus a second subject in the unreal past is how English objects politely.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. I wish I ___ a car — the bus takes an hour and a quarter each way. → had

A wish about a present situation takes the past simple to mark it as unreal.

2. I wish I ___ not agreed to chair the committee. → had

Regret about a past decision takes had plus the past participle.

3. I wish the neighbours ___ turn their music down after midnight. → would

A complaint about somebody else's repeated behaviour takes this modal.

4. If ___ I had listened to my supervisor at the time. → only

If only intensifies a wish and follows exactly the same tense patterns.

5. She wishes she ___ able to attend, but the dates clash with the trial. → were

A wish about a present state of being uses this form for every subject.

6. I'd rather you ___ mention the redundancies until Monday. → didn't

Would rather plus a second subject takes the unreal past for a present objection.

7. I wish I ___ remember where I put the spare key. → could

A wish about present ability uses this modal rather than a past simple.

8. We ___ to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful. → regret

This verb plus a to-infinitive is the formal way of delivering bad news.

9. He deeply ___ accepting the role without reading the contract properly. → regrets

This verb plus a gerund refers back to something the subject actually did.

10. If only the trains ___ run on time for a single week. → would

A complaint about an unreliable habit takes this modal after if only.

11. I wish the weather ___ been kinder on the day of the wedding. → had

Regret about a specific past occasion takes the past perfect.

12. She wishes she ___ know so many people at the reception. → didn't

A negative wish about the present takes the past simple in its negative form.

13. I'd ___ we discussed this in private, if it is all the same to you. → rather

Would rather introduces a polite preference about what somebody else should do.

14. If only I ___ not lost my temper at the hearing. → had

The sharpest form of past regret still uses had plus the past participle.

15. I wish somebody ___ mentioned that the deadline was moving. → had

A reproach about information not passed on refers to the past, so the perfect is used.

16. They wish they ___ living quite so far from the school. → weren't

A negative wish about a present continuous situation uses the unreal past of be.

17. I wish he ___ take criticism a little less personally. → would

A wish about another person's willingness to change takes this modal.

18. If only there ___ some way of undoing the last twenty minutes. → were

The unreal present of there is takes this form in careful English.

19. I wish I ___ said yes when the opportunity was first offered. → had

The offer is long past, so the regret takes the past perfect.

20. I'd rather she ___ found out from me than from the newspaper. → had

Would rather about the past takes the past perfect with a second subject.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Express dissatisfaction with your present situation. → I wish I had more time to read.

Express dissatisfaction with your present situation.

2. Regret something you actually did. → I wish I hadn't said anything at all.

Regret something you actually did.

3. Complain about somebody else's habit. → I wish he would stop checking his phone.

Complain about somebody else's habit.

4. Intensify a regret about the past. → If only I had known about the traffic.

Intensify a regret about the past.

5. Wish a present quality about yourself were different. → I wish I were better at public speaking.

Wish a present quality about yourself were different.

6. Wish about a present ability you lack. → I wish I could come with you tomorrow.

Wish about a present ability you lack.

7. Object politely to what somebody is doing. → I would rather you didn't smoke indoors.

Object politely to what somebody is doing.

8. Regret a career choice made long ago. → She wishes she had studied medicine instead.

Regret a career choice made long ago.

9. Deliver bad news in formal writing. → We regret to inform you of the closure.

Deliver bad news in formal writing.

10. Report regret about something already done. → He regrets leaving the firm so abruptly.

Report regret about something already done.

11. Complain about a present feature of a place. → If only the flat had a little more light.

Complain about a present feature of a place.

12. Complain about an organisation's unreliability. → I wish they would answer their emails.

Complain about an organisation's unreliability.

13. Regret an agreement you made. → I wish I hadn't agreed to the interview.

Regret an agreement you made.

14. Make a negative wish about the present. → She wishes she were not quite so busy.

Make a negative wish about the present.

15. Prefer a different course of action politely. → I would rather we waited until the results arrive.

Prefer a different course of action politely.

16. Regret an omission by an unnamed person. → If only somebody had checked the figures.

Regret an omission by an unnamed person.

17. Wish an irritating situation would change. → I wish the rain would stop for an hour.

Wish an irritating situation would change.

18. Express deep regret about a past decision. → They wish they had never moved house.

Express deep regret about a past decision.

19. State a preference about how the past should have gone. → I would rather she had told me herself.

State a preference about how the past should have gone.

20. Wish a present fact about yourself were different. → If only I were twenty years younger.

Wish a present fact about yourself were different.