Unit 40 · if and wish

if I had known … I wish I had known …

Study

Study this example situation:

Last month Gary was in hospital for a few days. Rachel didn’t know this. A few days ago they met by chance. Rachel said:

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If I’d known you were in hospital, I would have gone to visit you.

(= I didn’t know, so I didn’t go to visit you)

If I’d known = If I had known. This tells us that she didn’t know before.

We use if + had (’d) … to talk about the past (if I’d known / if you’d done etc.):

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I didn’t see you when you passed me in the street. If I’d seen you, I would have said hello.

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They didn’t go out last night. They would have gone out if they hadn’t been so tired.

(but they were tired)

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If you’d been looking where you were going, you wouldn’t have walked into the wall.

(but you weren’t looking)

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The view was wonderful. I would have taken some pictures if I’d had (= if I had had) a camera with me. (but I didn’t have a camera)

Compare:

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I’m not hungry. If I was hungry, I would eat something. (now)

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I wasn’t hungry. If I had been hungry, I would have eaten something. (past)

We do not say ‘if something would have happened’. We use would in the other part of the sentence:

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If I had seen you, I would have said hello. (not If I would have seen you)

The short form ’d can be would or had:

If I’d seen you,	(I’d seen = I had seen)
I’d have said hello.	(I’d have said = I would have said)

We use had done/known/been etc. in the same way after wish.

I wish something had happened = I am sorry that it didn’t happen

I wish something hadn’t happened = I am sorry that it happened

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I wish I’d known that Gary was ill. I would have gone to see him. (but I didn’t know)

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I feel sick. I wish I hadn’t eaten so much. (I ate too much)

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Do you wish you’d studied science instead of languages? (you didn’t study science)

Compare:

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I’m glad I saw him. (= I saw him)

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I wish I’d seen him. (= I didn’t see him)

We do not say ‘wish … would have …’ .

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The weather was cold. I wish it had been warmer. (not I wish it would have been)

Compare would (do) and would have (done):

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If I’d gone to the party last night, I would be tired now. (I am not tired now – present)

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If I’d gone to the party last night, I would have met lots of people. (I didn’t meet lots of people – past)

Compare would have, could have and might have:

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If the weather hadn’t been so bad, we would have gone out.

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If the weather hadn’t been so bad, we could have gone out.

(= we would have been able to go out)

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If the weather hadn’t been so bad, we might have gone out.

(= maybe we would have gone out)

Exercises (3)

0/3 exercises checked

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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. example
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. example
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. example
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: