Basics. Wish Clauses for Present and Future: correct answers
Jump to answers ↓Wish Clauses for Present and Future
When we want things to be different right now, or we want someone's behavior to change in the future, English uses specific verb patterns after "wish." To express a desire about a present situation, we use the past tense or the subjunctive mood, such as "I wish I were on a beach" or "I wish I knew the answer." When we are annoyed and want someone else's behavior to change in the future, we use would + base verb, like "I wish my roommate would wash the dishes." For abilities, we use could, as in "I wish I could teleport."
In this challenge, you will help frustrated commuters, daydreaming students, and even a time traveler in the Middle Ages express their desires. You will practice choosing between the subjunctive were for present realities, past simple for current states, and would to express annoyance at future behaviors (like a roommate practicing bagpipes at 2:00 AM!).
You will work through 12 questions in a mix of single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop formats.
Try the quiz to check your knowledge!
Correct answers
Question 1
Read the traveler's complaint and choose the correct verb to complete their thought.
Wedged into the middle seat of a tiny airplane, Marcus looked at his knees touching his chin and sighed, "I really wish I ___ just a bit shorter."
The correct answer is were.
When making a wish about a present state or situation that we want to be different, we use wish + past simple. For the verb to be, it is grammatically standard to use the subjunctive form were for all subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they).
We cannot use would here because we do not use wish + would with state verbs or when the subject of the wish is the same as the person wishing (I wish I would...).
Question 2
Complete the thoughts of an office worker who is daydreaming on a sunny Friday afternoon by dragging the right verb forms to the gaps.
I wish I were relaxing on a beach right now instead of looking at these boring spreadsheets. I really wish my boss would let us leave early on beautiful sunny days like this. Most of all, I wish we could go surfing this weekend, but I have too much paperwork to finish!
The correct answers are were relaxing, would let, and could go.
Use wish + past continuous (were relaxing) for ongoing actions happening right now that you want to be different.
Use wish + would + base verb (would let) to express a desire for someone else to change their current or future behavior.
Use wish + could + base verb (could go) to express a wish about future possibilities or abilities.
Question 3
Help the exhausted college student express her frustration by choosing the correct phrase.
Sarah stared blankly at the ceiling at 2:00 AM. "I love my roommate," she muttered, "but I wish she ___ practicing the bagpipes in the middle of the night!"
The correct answer is would stop.
To express annoyance or dissatisfaction with someone else's current behavior and a desire for them to change it in the future, we use wish + would + base verb.
Stops and will stop are incorrect because we must shift the tense back after "wish." Had stopped is used for regrets about the past, but the bagpipe playing is happening right now!
Question 4
Help the frustrated college student complete his diary entry about his terrible roommate by dragging the correct verbs into the blanks.
I wish our apartment were a bit bigger so we wouldn't be in each other's way all the time. I also wish my roommate would wash his dirty dishes more than once a month! Finally, I wish he knew how to use a vacuum cleaner, because the living room carpet is a disaster.
The correct answers are were, would wash, and knew.
Use wish + past simple (like knew or the subjunctive were) for situations or facts in the present that you want to be different.
Use wish + would + base verb to express annoyance or a strong desire for someone's behavior to change in the present or future.
Question 5
The correct answers are were and would stop.
Use wish + past simple (or the subjunctive were) to talk about a desire to change a present state or situation (wishing the room were larger).
Use wish + would + base verb to express annoyance or a desire for someone else's behavior to change in the future (wishing the roommate would stop playing).
Question 6
The correct answers are I wish I were sitting on a sunny beach right now. and I wish the professor didn't speak so monotonously.
To express a wish about a present situation being different, we use wish + past simple (didn't speak) or wish + past continuous (were sitting). We do not use present tenses after "wish" when talking about unreal present desires!
Question 7
The correct answers are would move and knew.
Use wish + would + base verb for things you want to happen or change in the future, especially when you are annoyed by someone or something else (wishing the car would move).
Use wish + past simple to express a desire for a different present reality (wishing you currently knew how to fly).
Question 8
Help the regretful time traveler complete his survival log in the Middle Ages by dragging the correct words into the blanks.
I wish this damp castle had indoor plumbing instead of a muddy moat. I also wish the local dragon would stop trying to barbecue my horse every morning. More than anything, I wish I knew how to fix my broken time machine so I could finally go home!
The correct answers are had, would stop, and knew.
Use wish + past simple (had, knew) to talk about present states or facts that you want to be different. We don't use would for states or facts we want to change!
Use wish + would + base verb (would stop) to complain about a behavior or situation you want to change in the future.
Question 10
Complete the commuter's daydream with the grammatically correct option.
Stuck in gridlock traffic for the third time this week, David tapped the steering wheel and thought, "I wish I ___ teleport directly to the office."
The correct answer is could.
When wishing for an ability or a possibility in the present or future, we use wish + could + base verb.
You cannot use wish + would when the person wishing is the same as the subject of the wish (e.g., "I wish I would" is grammatically incorrect). Can and will are also incorrect because "wish" requires us to step back into a past/unreal tense to show that the situation is hypothetical.
Question 11
The correct answers are I wish I could join you for the trip tomorrow. and I wish I didn't have to work all weekend.
To talk about a desire for a future ability or possibility, we use wish + could. To express a wish about a scheduled future obligation, we use wish + past simple (didn't have to). We do not use "can" or present simple ("don't have to") after "wish" for hypothetical situations.
Question 12
The correct answers are I wish you would wash your dishes for once! and I wish you wouldn't leave your dirty plates on the sofa.
When we are annoyed by someone's present behavior and want them to change it in the future, we use wish + would (or wouldn't) + base verb. We never use "will" after "wish" in this context!