To wish for something is a strong desire for a specific outcome.
The word “wish” is a Verb, it’s one of those action words where no physical labor is required to engage in the action, something somewhat abstract. Other abstract Verbs include trust, worry, and forget as well as many other thoughts and feelings. But, “wish” is the most yearning of these Verbs.
Making a wish is common in both the West and East. For example, you may have encountered a wishing well. A place where tossing a penny into a deep drum of water grants your deepest desire. Or, you may have seen a movie in which the players ask a genie to bring love into their lives.
What do I need to know about sentences that contain the Verb “wish”?
It’s common to hear Native English speakers use both “was” and “were” with the Verb Wish. Typically, “were” is used in formal speech, but this isn’t a hard rule. Interestingly, you may use either the Verb “was” or “were” without changing the sentence’s meaning. For example, both sentences below mean the same thing.
I wish I were taller.
I wish I was taller.
Additionally, “wish” can be used to speak of the future, the past, and the present without conjugation. For example, the sentence
I wish I wouldn’t have eaten so much
refers to an event that previously happened, overeating. But, the sentence
I wish I was thinner
speaks of the present and the future. Don’t fret, there’s an easily followed pattern for constructing sentences with the Verb “wish.” Simply, use the Verb “wish” with a past simple Verb, a Verb that ends with ed. Here’s an example:
Sara entered a pie-eating contest.
Examples of wish
Ryota wishes he were on holiday right now.
They wish they had their own car.
Let’s practice
Q1: Try and make your own example.
Q2: What would you wish for right now?
Q3: Do you ever wish you were a millionaire? Why or why not?
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