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Regret and unreal desire, where the tense shift is counter-intuitive.
Why you specifically
‘Wish’ và ‘if only’ dùng để diễn tả sự tiếc nuối hoặc mong muốn trái với thực tế. Điểm khó là thì sau chúng thường “lùi về quá khứ”: nếu muốn nói một tình huống hiện tại không đúng, ta thường dùng quá khứ đơn (I wish I had more time); nếu muốn tiếc một việc đã xảy ra trong quá khứ, ta dùng quá khứ hoàn thành (I wish I had not missed the bus). Khi muốn thay đổi một tình huống hiện tại ngoài tầm kiểm soát, tiếng Anh thường dùng would (I wish it would stop raining). Với khả năng hoặc năng lực, dùng could (She wishes she could speak English more fluently). Trong văn phạm chuẩn, sau wish/if only, ‘were’ thường được dùng trong tình huống không có thật ở hiện tại, kể cả với I/he/she/it.
The rule
Wish and if only are used for regrets and unreal desires. The tense after them usually shifts back: use past simple for an unreal present situation, past perfect for regret about the past, and would/could for wishes about change or ability. In formal English, were is often used after wish/if only for all subjects in unreal present situations.
The trap
I wish I have more time to study.
I wish I had more time to study.
Use past tense after wish to talk about a present situation you want to be different.
She wishes she lives closer to school.
She wishes she lived closer to school.
After wish, use a past form for an unreal present situation.
If only we know the answer.
If only we knew the answer.
If only can use a past form to express a present unreal wish.
I wish I did not miss the bus.
I wish I had not missed the bus.
Use past perfect after wish to regret a past event.
If only he called me yesterday.
If only he had called me yesterday.
Use past perfect after if only to express regret about a past event.
Prove it
13 drills
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