Express wishes and regrets about these situations. Refer to yourself where possible

Model: You’re not very fit. I wish/If only/I was/were fit/fitter!

1) It’s very hot today.

2) It’s raining.

3) You were too impatient.

4) You wasted a lot of time watching TV.

5) John didn’t take your advice.

6) We didn’t lock the back door!

7) Jane has read your letter.

8) He is abroad.

9) They don’t have a lot of friends.

5. Complain about the present situation and express your wish about some future actions. Begin your sentences with ‘if only’ or ‘I wish’.

Model: You don’t expect your headache to go away.

I wish my headache would go away. (If only my headache went away)

1) You don’t expect the weather to clear up.

2) You don’t expect the Rescue Services to arrive soon.

3) Some economists don’t expect tight monetary and fiscal policies to keep inflation under control.

4) You don’t expect this company despite of its small financial backing to be the first to crack.

5) You don’t expect your wife to be promoted soon.

6) You don’t expect your boss to think of this possibility for you.

7) You don’t expect Steve to be more careful.

6. Read a situation and then write a sentence with ‘I wish... would’.....

Model: It’s raining. You want to go out, but not in the rain. So you want it to stop raining. What did you say? I wish it would stop raining.

1) You’re waiting for Tom. He’s late and you’re getting impatient. You want him to come. What do you say?

I wish ___

2) A baby is crying and you’re trying to sleep. You want the baby to stop crying. What do you say?

I wish ___

3) You’re looking for a job – so far without success. You want somebody to give you a job. What do you say?

I wish somebody ___

4) Brian has been wearing the same old clothes for years. You think he needs some new clothes and you want him to buy some. What do you say to him?

I wish ___

5) Tom drives very fast. You don’t like this. What do you say to him?

I wish ___

6) A lot of people drop litter in the street. You don’t like this. What do you say?

I wish ___

7) Jack always leaves the door open. You don’t like this. What do you say to him?

I wish ____

7. Here are some problems in brackets. How could they have been avoided? Use the words and phrases to help you write two sentences about each problem using I wish and If only.

play fewer computer games, keep calm, eat less, walk more, lose temper, use bins, match less TV, use car less often, save water, let someone else drive, waste water, take more exercise, protect forest, drive carefully, recycle more paper, take rubbish home

1) (I’ve gained a lot of weight)

I wish ___

If only ___

2) (The rivers and reservoirs have dried up)

I wish ___

If only ___

3) (He crashed his car)

I wish ___

If only ___

4) (He had a row with his best friend)

I wish ___

If only ___

5) (People drop litter in the street)

I wish ___

If only ___

6) (We are cutting down too many trees)

I wish ___

If only ___

7) (People use their cars when they don’t need to)

I wish ___

If only ___

8) (Children don’t read enough nowadays)

I wish ___

If only ___

8. Translate into English:

1) Если бы я был моложе!

2) Жаль, что и вчера у меня было мало времени!

3) Ах, если бы вы сказали ей об этом в прошлое воскресенье!

4) Жаль, что уже поздно туда идти.

5) Как жаль, что мы не застали Сью дома.

6) Мы сожалеем, что у Вас мало опыта в этой области.

7) Даже если бы он сдал экзамен, он бы не поехал в Москву.

8) Она сожалела, что не рассказала Вам эту историю раньше.

9) Мы бы хотели, чтобы Вы упомянули эти факты.

10) Хорошо бы у нас сейчас были каникулы!

11) Даже если бы сейчас шёл дождь, я бы поехал навестить больного друга.

12) Жаль, что уже заняты все вакантные места.

13) Хорошо бы Вы написали ей об этом сами.

14) Жаль, что Вы не обратили внимание на его предупреждение.

15) Жаль, что ты не воспользовался этой возможностью.