If I had known / I wish I had known

Мы используем «I wish I had known», «If I had known» и «if only» для того, чтобы говорить о вещах, которые мы хотели бы изменить в настоящем или прошлом. «if only», как правило, немного сильнее, чем «wish».

Мы можем использовать want + would(n’t), чтобы показать, что нас раздражает то, что кто-то или что-то делает или не делает. Мы часто чувствуем, что они вряд ли или не хотят меняться.

A. Study this example situation:

Last month Gary was in hospital for an operation. Liz didn’t know this, so she didn’t go to visit him. They met a few days ago. Liz said:

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

Liz said: If I had known you were in hospital… . The real situation was that she didn’t know he was in hospital.

When you are talking about the past, you use if + had (‘d)… (if I had known/been/done etc.):

• I didn’t see you when you passed me in the street. If I’d seen you, of course I would have said hello, (but I didn’t see you)
• I decided to stay at home last night. I would have gone out if I hadn’t been so tired, (but I was tired)
• If he had been looking where he was going, he wouldn’t have walked into the wall. (but he wasn’t looking)
• The view was wonderful. If I’d had a camera, I would have taken some photographs.(but I didn’t have a camera)

Compare:

• I’m not hungry. If I was hungry, I would eat something, (now)
• I wasn’t hungry. If I had been hungry, I would have eaten something, (past)

B. Do not use would in the if-part of the sentence. We use would in the other part of the sentence:

• If I had seen you, I would have said hello, (not ‘If I would have seen you’)

Note that ‘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)

 

C. We use had (done) in the same way after wish. I wish something had happened = I am sorry that it didn’t happen:

• I wish I’d known that Gary was ill. I would have gone to see him. (but I didn’t know)
• I feel sick. I wish I hadn’t eaten so much cake. (I ate too much cake)
• Do you wish you had studied science instead of languages? (you didn’t study science)
• The weather was cold while we were away. I wish it had been warmer.

Do not use would have… after wish in these sentences:

• I wish it had been warmer, (not ‘I wish it would have been’)

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

• If I had gone to the party last night, I would be tired now. (I am not tired now — present)
• If I had 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;

	we would have gone out.
If the weather hadn’t been so bad,	we could have gone out (=we would have been able to go out)
	we might have gone out. (= perhaps we would have gone out)

 

EXERCISES

1 Put the verb into the correct form.

1. I didn’t know you were in hospital. If …I’d known… (I/know),…I would have gone… (I/go) to visit you.
2. Ken got to the station in time to catch his train. If……………………………………………(he/miss) it,…………………………………………………………………. (he/be) late for his interview.
3. It’s good that you reminded me about Ann’s birthday.   ………………………………………..(I/forget) if…………………………………………………………….. (you/not/remind) me.
4. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my address book with me when I was in New York. If ………………………….. ……………………….. (I/have) your address, …………………………………………..(I/send) you a postcard.
5. A: How was your holiday? Did you have a nice time?                                                                             B: It was OK, but…………………………. (we/enjoy) it more if ……………………. (the weather/be) better.
6. I took a taxi to the hotel but the traffic was very bad.   ………………………………………………….. (it/be) quicker if……………………………………………………………. (I/walk).
7. I’m not tired. If…………………………………………………………. (I/be) tired, I’d go home now.
8. I wasn’t tired last night. If…………………………………………. (I/be) tired, I would have gone home earlier.

 

2 Write a sentence with if for each situation.

1. I wasn’t hungry, so I didn’t eat anything. If. I’d been hungry, I .would have eaten something.
2. The accident happened because the driver in front stopped so suddenly. If the driver in front………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. I didn’t know that George had to get up early, so I didn’t wake him up. If I……………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. I was able to buy the car only because Jim lent me the money……………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Margaret wasn’t injured in the crash because 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 any money on me. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

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….
2. There was a job advertised in the newspaper. You decided not to apply for it. Now you think that your decision was wrong. You say:I wish I…………………………………………………………………………………
3. When you were younger, you didn’t learn to play a musical instrument. Now you regret this. You say:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. You’ve painted the gate red. Now you think that it doesn’t look very nice. You say: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. You are walking in the country. You would like to take some photographs but you didn’t bring your camera. You say:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. You have some unexpected guests. They didn’t tell you they were coming. You are very busy and you are not prepared for them. You say (to yourself): ……………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………….

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