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if I knew … I wish I knew …
A Study this example situation:
Sarah wants to phone Paul, but she can’t do this because she doesn’t know his number. She says: I’d phone him if I knew his number. (I’d phone = I would phone) Sarah doesn’t know Paul’s number, so she says ‘if I knew’. She imagines what she would do if she knew his number.
When we imagine a situation like this, we use if + past (if I knew / if you were / if we didn’t etc.). But the meaning is present, not past: There are many things I’d like to do if I had more time. (but I don’t have time) If I didn’t want to go to the party, I wouldn’t go. (but I want to go) If you were in my position, what would you do? It’s a pity he can’t drive. It would be useful if he could.
We use the past in the same way after wish (I wish I knew / I wish you were etc.). We use wish to say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it to be: I wish I knew Paul’s phone number. (= I don’t know it and I regret this) Do you ever wish you could fly? (you can’t fly) It’s very crowded here. I wish there weren’t so many people. (there are a lot of people) I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow, but unfortunately I do. Compare: I’m glad I live here. (I live here and that’s good) I wish I lived here. (I don’t live here unfortunately)
B
I wish I had an umbrella.
After if and wish, you can use were instead of was (if I were / I wish it were etc.). You can also use was. So you can say: If I were you, I wouldn’t buy that coat. or If I was you, … I’d go for a walk if it weren’t so cold. or … if it wasn’t so cold. I wish Anna were here. or I wish Anna was here.
C
We do not usually say ‘if … would’. We use would (’d) in the other part of the sentence: If I were rich, I would travel a lot. (not If I would be rich) Who would you ask if you needed help? (not if you would need) In the same way we say: I wish I had something to read. (not I wish I would have) I wish she were here now. (not I wish she would be) For ‘I wish … would …’ see Unit 41.
D
Could sometimes means ‘would be able to’ and sometimes ‘was/were able to’: She could get a better job (she could get = she would be able to get) if she could speak another language. (if she could speak = if she was able to speak) I wish I could help you. (I wish I could = I wish I was able)
E
could ➜ Units 26–27 if I do / if I did ➜ Unit 38 if I had known / I wish I had known ➜ Unit 40 wish ➜ Unit 41
… if I knew his number …
Exercises
39.1 Put the verb into the correct form. 1 If I knew^ (I / know) his number, I would phone him. 2 I wouldn’t buy^ (I / not / buy) that coat if I were you. 3 (I / help) you if I could, but I’m afraid I can’t. 4 This soup isn’t very nice. (it / taste) better if it wasn’t so salty. 5 We live in a city and don’t need a car, but we would need one if (we / live) in the country. 6 If we had the choice, (we / live) in the country. 7 I’d make a lot of changes if (I / be) the manager of the company. 8 I wouldn’t call someone in the middle of the night if (it / not / be) important. 9 If I were you, (I / not / wait). (I / go) now. 10 You’re always tired because you go to bed so late. If (you / not / go) to bed so late every night, (you / not / be) tired all the time. 11 I think there are too many cars. If (there / not / be) so many cars, (there / not / be) so much pollution. 12 We all need jobs and money, but what (you / do) if (you / not / have) to work?
39.2 Write a sentence with if … for each situation. 1 We don’t see you very often because you live so far away. If you didn’t live so far away, we’d see you more often. 2 I like these shoes but they’re too expensive, so I’m not going to buy them. I them if so 3 We’d like to go on holiday, but we can’t afford it. We if 4 It would be nice to have lunch outside but it’s raining, so we can’t. We 5 I don’t want his advice, and that’s why I’m not going to ask for it. If
39.3 Write sentences beginning I wish …. 1 I don’t know many people (and I’m lonely). I wish I knew more people. 2 I don’t have much free time (and I need more). I wish 3 Helen isn’t here (and I need to see her). 4 It’s cold (and I hate cold weather). 5 I live in a big city (and I don’t like it). 6 I can’t find my phone (which is a problem). 7 I’m not feeling well (which isn’t good). 8 I have to get up early tomorrow (but I’d prefer to sleep late).
9 I don’t know much about science (and I should know more).
39.4 Write your own sentences beginning I wish …. 1 (somewhere you’d like to be now – on the beach, in New York, in bed etc.) I wish I 2 (something you’d like to have – a motorbike, more friends, lots of money etc.)
3 (something you’d like to be able to do – sing, travel more, cook etc.)
4 (something you’d like to be – famous, more intelligent, good at sport etc.)
➜ Additional exercises 19–21 (pages 313–14) 79
I would help It would taste we were living
we could live I were it wasn't I couldn't wait I was going you wouldn't go you wouldn't be there weren't there wouldn't be would you do you didn't have
I wish I had more free time. I wish Helen was there. I wish it wasn't cold. I wish I didn't live in a big city. I wish I could find my phone. I wish I felt well.
I wish I didn't have to get up early tomorrow.
I wish I could know more about science.
was in my bed now.
I wish I had a motorcycle.
I wish I could sing and dance freely every day.
I wish I was more intelligent and good at sports.
I wanted his advice, I would ask him.
Exercises
40.1 Put the verb into the correct form. 1 I didn’t see you. If I’d seen^ (I / see) you, I would have said^ (I / say) hello. 2 Sarah got to the station just in time to catch her train to the airport. If (she / miss) the train, (she / miss) her flight too. 3 Thanks for reminding me about Lisa’s birthday. (I / forget) if (you / not / remind) me. 4 I didn’t have your email address, so I couldn’t contact you. If (I / have) your email address, (I / send) you an email. 5 Their trip was OK, but (they / enjoy) it more if the weather (be) better. 6 Sorry we’re late. Our taxi got stuck in the traffic. (it / be) quicker if (we / walk). 7 Why didn’t you tell me about your problem? If (you / tell) me, (I / try) to help you. 8 I’m not tired. If (I / be) tired, I’d go home now. 9 I wasn’t tired last night. If (I / be) tired, I would have gone home earlier.
40.2 For each situation, write a sentence beginning with If. 1 I wasn’t hungry, so I didn’t eat anything. If I’d been hungry, I would have eaten something. 2 The accident happened because the road was icy. If the road 3 I didn’t know that you had to get up early, so I didn’t wake you up. If I 4 Unfortunately I lost my phone, so I couldn’t call you.
5 Karen wasn’t injured in the crash, because fortunately she was wearing a seat belt.
6 You didn’t have any breakfast – that’s why you’re hungry now.
7 I didn’t get a taxi because I didn’t have enough money.
8 Dan didn’t do well at school, so he couldn’t go to university.
40.3 Imagine that you are in these situations. For each situation, write a sentence with I wish. 1 You’ve eaten too much and now you feel sick. You say: I wish I hadn’t eaten so much. 2 When you were younger, you never learned to play a musical instrument. Now you regret this. You say: 3 You’ve painted the gate red. Now you think it doesn’t look good. Red was the wrong colour. You say: 4 You decided to travel by car, but the journey was long and tiring. Going by train would have been better. You say: I wish we 5 Last year you went to New York with a friend. You didn’t have time to do all the things you wanted to do. You say: 6 You moved to a new flat a few months ago. Now you don’t like your new flat. You think that moving was a bad idea. You say:
➜ Additional exercises 19–21 (pages 313–14) 81
she had missed she would have miss I would have forgotten you didn't remind I would had I had send they would have enjoyed had been
we had walked
It would have been
you had told I could have tried I had was I had been
hadn't been icy, the accident wouldn't have happened.
had know that you had to get up early, I would have woken you up.
If Karen hadn't worn a seat belt, she would have been injured in the crash.
If you'd had any breakfast, you wouldn't be hungry now.
If I had had enough money, I would have gotten a taxi.
I wish I had learned to play a musical instrument.
I wish I hadn't painted the gate red.
I wish we had went by train.
I wish I'd had more time to do all the things I wanted to do
I wish I hadn't moved to the new flat.
If I hadn't lost my phone, I would have called you.
If I'd done well in school, I could have gone to university.
