idi 324: August 2016

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

The verb “wish” expresses a desire for a situation that doesn’t exist now.

1. Wish + Simple Past

We use “wish” + simple past to express that we want a situation in the present (or future) to be different.

Examples:
“I wish I lived in Spain” – Right now this person does not live in Spain but would like to in the present.
“He wishes he had a Lambourghini” – Right now this person does not have a Lambourghini but want one in the present.
“They wish it was June” – Right now it’s May and they still have to wait a month to go on holiday in the future.

2. Wish + Past Continuous

We use “wish” + past continuous to express that we want to be doing a different activity in the present (or the future).

Examples:
“I wish I was eating Spanish food in Barcelona” – Right now this person is in the office, they would like to be in Spain, eating tapas, in the present.
“He wishes he was driving a Lambourghini in Paris” – Right now this person is also in an office, they want to be driving, in the present.
“They wish they were leaving tomorrow to go on holiday” – They aren’t going on holiday, in the future, but would like to.

3. Wish + Past Perfect

We use “wish” + past perfect to express regret. This means we want to be able to change a situation in the past.

Examples:
“I wish I hadn’t eaten so much chocolate” – This person ate too much chocolate, feels sick and would like to go back to the past and change it.
“He wishes his Dad had bought him a Lambourghini for his birthday” – This person would have liked a car for his birthday, in the past.
“They wish they had studied more for their exam” – They didn’t study and now would like to go back and study more.

4. Wish + Would

We use “wish” + would + infinitive to express dissatisfaction with the present situation.

Examples:
“I wish you would stop making so much noise” – The person wants the other to stop making noise.
“He wishes his dog would behave” – The dog is barking and he wants it to stop.

We can also use “wish” to express “want” in a formal situation, for example, we can say “I wish to talk to the headmaster”. We do this by saying “wish” + infinitive.

Finally, we can use subject + wish + someone as a fixed expression to congratulate them or desire them well. For example: “We wish you a Merry Christmas”, “My parents wish you a Happy Birthday”, “I wish you good luck in your new job”, “She wishes her sister the best of happiness”.

Taken from ABC TEACHER'S BLOG

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Listen this! Please!

I Wish I Were in Love Again" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hartmusical Babes in Arms. Judy Garlandand Mickey Rooney performed it in the 1948 film Words and Music. Garland released it as a single in 1946 and again in 1948 as a b-side with "Johnny One Note."^[1]

The use of wish

Wishes

We use past tense forms to talk about wishes:

We use past tense modals would and could to talk about wishes for the future:

I don’t like my work. I wish I could get a better job.
That’s a dreadful noise. I wish it would stop.
I always have to get home early. I wish my parents would let me stay out later.

We use past tense forms to talk about wishes for the present:

I don’t like this place. I wish I lived in somewhere more interesting.
These seats are very uncomfortable. I wish we were travelling first class.
Everyone wishues they had more free time.
John wishes he wasn’t so busy.
I wish it wasn’t so cold.

We use the past perfect to talk about wishes for the past:

I wish I had worked harder when I was at school.
Mary wishes she had listened to what her mother told her.
I wish I hadn’t spent so much money last month.

Hypotheses (things that we imagine)

When we are talking about hypotheses:

We use present tense forms after phrases like what if, in case and suppose to talk about the future if we think it is likely to happen:

Those steps are dangerous. Suppose someone has an accident.
We should leave home early in case we are late.

We use a past tense form to talk about the future after suppose and what if to suggest something is not likely to happen:

It might be dangerous. Suppose they got lost.
What if he lost his job. What would happen then?

We use modals would, could for a hypothesis about the future:

We can’t all stay in a hotel. It would be very expensive.
Drive carefully. You could have an accident.

We use would in the main clause and the past in a subordinate clause to talk about the imagined future:

I would always help someone who really needed help.
I would always help someone if they really needed it.

We use modals with have to talk about something that did not happen in the past:

I did not see Mary, or I might have spoken to her.
It’s a pity Jack wasn’t at the party. He would have enjoyed this party.
Why didn’t you ask me. I could have told you the answer.

English Grammar

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Comments

chris kimreplied on 18 June, 2016 - 16:24 Iran PERMALINK

hi there
which one is true which means burn?
catch on fire or catch fire

Peter Mreplied on 19 June, 2016 - 07:03Poland PERMALINK

Hello chris kim,
Generally we do not say 'catch on fire'. The options are rather 'catch fire' or 'be on fire'. However, I would need to see the context to be sure which of these is most appropriate.

Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team

ashgrayreplied on 20 April, 2016 - 10:24 India PERMALINK

Dear Sir,
When I say, "I wish I could do that for you"
What does it mean:
I cannot do it for you but I wish I could.
OR
When time comes in the future, I hope I would be able to do that for you.

Kirkreplied on 20 April, 2016 - 17:24Spain PERMALINK

Hello ashgray,
It means the first thing you explain. 'wish' + a verb in a past tense can be used to refer to something unreal or hypothetical; in this case, it's something you would like to do but cannot.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team

ashgrayreplied on 22 April, 2016 - 16:11 India PERMALINK

Thanks for the explanation, Kirk.
Just to clear away my doubts, if I say
"I wish it will stop" it refers to a realistic wish, whereas if I say
"I wish it would stop" it refers to an unrealistic wish
and both the above sentences refer to the present tense?

Kirkreplied on 23 April, 2016 - 08:15 Spain PERMALINK

Hello ashgray,
You're welcome. 'I wish' isn't followed by 'will' – as is explained above, it is followed by past forms (even when talking about the present) such as the past simple or past perfect. 'wish' in this sense expresses something seen as improbable or unreal.
By the way, there's an archived BBC page on 'wish' that you might find helpful as well.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team

ashgrayreplied on 23 April, 2016 - 18:28 India PERMALINK

Thanks for correcting me and referring that page, Kirk.
I have just one more question. I was studying a page in quick grammar on Adjectives & Prepositions. With that I created these sentences. If you don't mind me aswking this here, could you please tell me whether they are correct:
- He was DELIGHTED WITH their service
- I wasn't AWARE OF it
- I'm not BORED WITH it

Peter Mreplied on 24 April, 2016 - 07:19 Poland PERMALINK

Hello ashgray,
Those sentences are all correct. Well done!

Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team

roc1replied on 18 August, 2016 - 10:30 Nigeria PERMALINK

Please sir, am so confused about these sentences because of the "45%" there.
1) 45% of the students are busy.
2) 45% of the students is busy.
Could you please tell me which one is correct in the sentences above?
Thanks.

Peter Mreplied on 18 August, 2016 - 19:58Poland PERMALINK

Hello roc1,
The noun 'students' is plural and so a plural verb is needed. Sentence 1 is correct.

Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team

Pages

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Noun, verb and adjective.

Hello... This is my first time on the blog! I'm trying!

Spiritual renewal

One of the best way to renewal you spiritual life is praying alone because this is the link between God and you. When you pray you can talk and cry with him who listen carefully all your issues without complaints. When you are in those moments with yourself you can think about what are you doing to be better day by day not just we the people around you but, with the most important person in your world who is supposed to be you. To pray give you internal peace that renewal all you life to encourage every issue that bring each day.

Feng shui

Nowadays a lot of people live according to the feng shui style, specially Chinese people, even though this style of life is view skeptical by others who are less beliver in those kind of practice. The feng shui conviction involve many ways to engage good vibre in you as for example, if you use red decoration in the south part of any room that may bring fortune to you. I am not sure if those practice really work but I practice this way of life I don't know if it is my faith of what but I had seen results in my life specially with the colors that bring armony, peace around you.

The tipping point in my life

Thinking about what tipping point is I realised that everybody in any moment of the the life have had a new unstoppable situation. I have an important events in my life that mark me for ever and ever. This one is when my father died, in that moment I felt that my strength was done but at the same time I recognised that I have to continue living and fighting for my dreams about finish my career and travel to USA to improve all my knowledge about English, I wanted to live the language as student of modern languages and I got it. I have a lot of thing in my mind yet but after this stage I know that nothing is impossible if you really want.

Bold or bashful?

It is not a secret that all edge are bad, to be bold or to be bashful are not th exception. According my own experience when you are pretty shy you may lose a lot of opportunities in the life as do not get a job just because you never demonstrate your abilities being bashful or even lose a big love because you never show you feeling thanks to you shyness. As I said before all extremes are bad because to be bold in a lot of amount may induce that most of the people around you feel as you are a menace that can steal their own light and those things cause provocation to the hate feeling. Those are some of the issues that make me think that we just have to act according the situation that coming because the life show you the best way you have to react.

Addiction ( BLOOD ADDICTION)

DRINKING BLOOD

Julia Caples admitted to drinking nearly two litres of human blood every month.

The 45-year-old mum-of-two, from Pennsylvania, US, has been drinking like a vampire from willing donors for the past 30 years.

And she’s not the only one with what she claims is a gory addiction.

A tattoo artist from California known only as Michelle takes her Bloody Marys literally – by mixing them with real blood.

The 29-year-old knocks back a litre of blood every day, drinking direct from her friend’s arm and topping up with pig plasma.

Michelle said: “I get cravings like someone craving a cigarette. I drink it while reading, relaxing or painting. It’s like having a hot toddy.”

well, for me drinking blood is a really weird addiction because people that do that are availabe to kill someone for having their delicious blood.

idi 324