WE OFTEN WISH FOR THINGS THAT ARE

NOT REAL OR TRUE IN THE PRESENT.

Page 438, 10.5: Wishes

USE THE PAST SUBJUNCTIVE TO WISH

FOR SOMETHING IN THE PRESENT.

YOUR BOOK CALLS THIS A “PAST TENSE,”

BUT THAT IS NOT REALLY ACCURATE, AND

IS A CONFUSING WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SAME PAST

SUBJUNCTIVE THAT YOU USE IN TYPE 2

(UNREAL) CONDITIONAL STATEMENTS.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SAME PAST

SUBJUNCTIVE THAT YOU USE IN TYPE 2

(UNREAL) CONDITIONAL STATEMENTS.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

FOR ALL VERBS EXCEPT THE VERB TO BE.

PRESENT

Reality Wish

I don’t have a dog. I wish (that) I had a

dog.

We have to get old. I wish (that) we

didn’t have to get

old.

I can’t live 100

years.

I wish that I could

live 150 years.

PRESENT

Reality Wish

I am not young. I wish (that) I were

younger.

It is not Sunday. I wish (that) it were

Sunday.

My best friend is not here

in the U.S.

I wish (that) my best

friend were here in the

U.S.

REMEMBER THAT FOR THE VERB TO BE, THE

PAST SUBJUNCTIVE IS:

I WERE/WE WERE

YOU WERE

HE WERE/SHE WERE/IT WERE/THEY WERE

ON PAGE 439, WE SEE HOW TO TALK

ABOUT WISHES THAT SOMETHING

HAPPENED DIFFERENTLY IN THE PAST:

IN THESE SENTENCES, WE USE THE PAST

PERFECT:

I WISH I HAD KNOWN MY

GRANDPARENTS.

(IN REALITY, I DIDN’T KNOW THEM.)

MY AUNT WISHES SHE HAD HAD KIDS

WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG.

(IN REALITY, SHE DIDN’T HAVE KIDS

WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG.

MY DOG DIED YEARS AGO. I WISH I

COULD HAVE CLONED HER.

(IN REALITY, I COULDN’T DO THAT.)