Grammar: ✨ Grammar Essentials: 🧩 Parts of Speech & 🏗️ Sentence Structure (Advanced) (B2) - Lesson 9: Wishes & Hopes about the Present/Future (I wish/If only + Past Simple; I hope + Present/Future)

Grammar: Mood & Conditionals

B2 Lesson 9: Wishes & Hopes

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to correctly use 'wish' for unreal present situations and 'hope' for possible future events.

Why It Matters: Wish vs. Hope

Understanding the difference between a wish and a hope is key to expressing yourself accurately in English.

Wish 😔 (Unreal)

Used for unreal or impossible situations that are the opposite of reality now.

I wish I were rich. (But I'm not rich now).

Hope 😊 (Possible)

Used for real and possible situations you want to happen in the future.

I hope I will be rich one day. (It's possible).

The Grammar Rules 📖

Rule 1: Wishes about the Present

Use "I wish" or "If only" followed by the Past Simple to talk about a present situation you want to change. This is called the subjunctive mood.

I wish / If only + Subject + Past Simple Verb

Reality: I don't have enough money.

Wish: "I wish I had enough money."

Reality: It is raining outside now.

Wish: "If only it weren't raining."

Rule 2: Hopes for the Future

Use "hope" when you want something possible to happen in the future. The grammar is simple and does not use the past tense.

Subject + hope(s) + (that) + Subject + Present/Future Verb

• I hope you have a wonderful time in Battambang.
• She hopes she will pass her exam next week.

💡 Pro Tip: The Subjunctive "were"

In formal grammar for wishes, it is correct and common to use were for all subjects (I, he, she, it). Using "was" is common in informal speech, but "were" is preferred in writing and formal contexts.

Example: "I wish I were taller." (More formal) vs. "I wish I was taller." (More informal).

Practice Your Grammar 🎯

Exercise: Wish or Hope?

Choose the correct word and verb form to complete each sentence.

1. I don't have a car. I _______ I had a car. (hope / wish)
   → Answer: wish (It's an unreal situation.)
2. My exam is tomorrow. I _______ I pass. (hope / wish)
   → Answer: hope (It's a possible future event.)
3. It's so hot today! I wish it _______ a little cooler. (were / is)
   → Answer: were (A wish about the present uses the past tense.)
4. He doesn't know how to swim. He wishes he _______ swim. (can / could)
   → Answer: could ('could' is the past form of 'can' for wishes about ability.)

Your Grammar Mission ⭐

Write Your Wishes and Hopes

Write a full sentence in your notebook for each prompt.

1. Write one sentence about something you wish were different about your life right now.
   (Example: I wish I had more free time.)
2. Write one sentence about something you hope for your future.
   (Example: I hope I can get a good job after I graduate.)

Key Vocabulary

• Wish (Verb) | បំណងប្រាថ្នា
  To want a situation that is different from the real one; used for things that are unreal or impossible.
• Hope (Verb) | សង្ឃឹម
  To want something to happen or be true in the future, when it is possible.
• Unreal (Adjective) | មិនពិត
  Not real; imaginary.
• Subjunctive Mood (Noun)
  A verb form used to express things that are not real, like wishes or hypothetical situations (e.g., "If I were you...").