We can use I wish or if only to express a wish. Jessica wishes she was slimmer. If only is stronger and more emphatic than wish. We can use a clause with if only on its own, or we can add another clause. If only I wasn't so fat. If only I wasn't so fat, I would be able to get into these trousers. B Wish would Look at these examples. / wish you would put those shelves up soon. Tom wishes his neighbours wouldn't make so much noise. If only you'd try to keep the place tidy. Wish/If only would expresses a wish for something to happen, or to stop happening. C Wish the past Look at these examples. / wish I lived in a big city. It's so boring in the country. We all wish we had more money, don't we? If only I was taller, I might be better at basketball. Wish and if only with a past-tense verb express a wish for things to be different. We can use were instead of was (see also Unit 145B). If only I were taller, I might be better at basketball. We cannot use would in these sentences, but we can use could. / wish I could sing (but I can't). I feel so helpless. If only I could speak the language. Compare wish with would and with the past. I wish something exciting would happen. (I wish for an action in the future.) I wish my life was more interesting. (My life isn't interesting.) D Wish the past perfect We use wish and if only with the past perfect to express a wish about the past. / wish you had told me about the dance. I would have gone. I wish I'd got up earlier. I'm behind with everything today. I wish you hadn't lost that photo. It was a really good one. If only David had been a bit more careful, he'd have been all right. We do not use would have for the past, but we can use could have. / wish I could have been at the wedding, but I was in New York. 149 Wish and if onl y 149 Exercises Wish would (B) What might you say in these situations? Begin I wish ? to someone who never answers your e-mails I wish you'd answer my e-mails. ? to someone who makes rude remarks about you / wish you wouldn't make rude remarks about me. 1 to someone who won't hurry up 2 to someone who never does the washing-up 3 to someone who isn't telling you the whole story 4 to someone who blows cigarette smoke in your face 5 to someone who won't tell you what he's thinking 2 Wish the past (C) Vicky is fed up. What is she saying? Use / wish or if only. ► (She can't think straight.) I wish I could think straight. 1 (She is so tired.) 2 (She gets headaches.) 3 (Her work isn't going well.) 4 (She can't concentrate.) 5 (Life is so complicated.) 3 Wish the past perfect (D) Complete the sentences. Use these words: accepted, caught, found, played, saved, stayed ► I spent all my money. I wish now that / had saved it. 1 I missed the train. I really wish 2 Rita left the party early. Nick wishes ………………………… 3 Emma refused the offer. But her parents wish .………………… 4 I looked everywhere for the key. 1 wish ………………………… 5 The injured player could only watch. He wishes ……………… 4 Wish and if only (B-D) Complete the conversation. Claire: Oh, Henry. You're giving me another present. It's very sweet of you, but I wish (►)yoM wouldn't give me so many presents. Henry: Claire, I've been thinking. I shouldn't have asked you to marry me. I wish now that (1) Claire: Now you're talking nonsense. I wish (2)……………………………………………, Henry. Henry: I'm not a young man, am I? Of course I wish (3)……………………………………. Claire: Why don't you listen? If only (4) ………………………………………… to me just this once. Henry: Why couldn't we have met twenty years ago? I wish (5) ……………………………you then. Claire: Henry, twenty years ago I was just starting school. TEST 25 Conditionals and wish (Units 144-149) Test 25A Complete the news report about a protest against a new road. Put in the correct form of the verbs. Sometimes you need will or would. Yesterday protesters managed to hold up work on the Oldbury bypass. Protest leader Alison Compton defended the action by members of the Green World group. 'If we don't protest, soon (►) there'll be (there / be) no countryside left,' she told reporters. The bypass is now well behind schedule, and if the protesters had not held up the work so often, (1)………………………. (it / open) two months ago. 'If these fields (2)……………………… (disappear), we'll never see them again,' said Ms Compton. 'Why can't we use public transport? If more people (3)……………………… (travel) on buses and trains, we wouldn't need new roads. If the motor car had never existed, the world (4)………………………(be) a more pleasant place today.' But many people in Oldbury want their new bypass. 'If (5)………………………. (they / not build) it soon, the traffic jams in the town will get worse,' said Asif Mohammed, whose house is beside the busy A34. 'We just can't leave things as they are. If things remained the same, people's health (6)……………………… (suffer) even more from all the pollution here. It's terrible. If we don't get the traffic out of the town, (7)………………………. (I / go) mad. If (8)………………………. (I / know) earlier how bad this problem would get, (9)………………………. (I / move) out years ago. But now it has become impossible to sell this house because of the traffic. The government waited too long. If (10)……………………… (they / do) something sooner, there would be less traffic today' And the protest is making the new road even more expensive. 'If this goes on, (11) …………………… (there / not / be) enough money left to finish the road,' says the Transport Minister. Test 25B Look at the answers below and write the correct answer in each space. ► A: There's always something going wrong with this car. B: If you had any sense, you'd have sold it long ago. a) be selling b) have sold c) sell d) sold 1 A: It's a pity the lake wasn't frozen yesterday. B: Yes, it is. If it frozen, we could have gone skating. a) had been b) was c) would be d) would have been 2 A: Haven't you got enough money for a holiday? B: Oh yes. I've got some saved up ………… I suddenly need it. a) if b) in case c) that d) unless 3 A: What are you going to do next year? B: I wish I …………………. the answer to that question. a) knew b) know c) could know d) would know 4 A: These figures are too complicated to work out in your head. B: Yes, if ……………………… we had a calculator. a) better b) only c) really d) that 5 A: What are you doing later this afternoon? B: Oh, ………………… the game finishes, I'll go home, I expect. a) if b) in case c) unless d) when 6 A: Do you think I should take the job? B: You shouldn't do anything……………………… you think it's the right thing to do. a) if b) in case c) unless d) when Test 25C Write a second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Begin with // ► I haven't got a key, so I can't get in. If I had a key, I could get in. 1 You talk about football and I'm going to be very bored. 2 The baby didn't cry, so we had a good sleep. 3 You may want a chat, so just give me a ring. 4 Nigel hasn't got satellite TV, so he can't watch the game. 5 You go away and I'll miss you. 6 I'm not rich or I'd have given up working long ago. 7 We should have bought that picture five years ago because it would be quite valuable now. 8 Throw a stone into water and it sinks. Test 25 D Write the sentences correctly. ► There aren't any eggs. If-we have some-eggs I couldmake an omelette. // we had some eggs, I could make an omelette. 1 The weather doesn't look very good. If it'll rain I'll stay here. 2 The programme is starting soon. Can you tell me-if-it starts? 3 Could you just listen? 1 -didn't need-to-repeat-things-all-the time if-you listened. 4 It's a simple law of science, if air will get-warmer-it rises. 5 There's only one key. I'd-better-get another one made-if-I-lose-it. 6 We were really late, I wish we-left home-earlier. 7 I hope the parcel comes today, If it won't arrilve-today,we'll-have-to complain. 8 That radio is on loud. I wish-someone-turns it-down. 9 We must do something. Until-we act quickly it'll-be too late. 10 Of course Martin was angry. But he hadn't been angry if you hadn't damaged his stereo 150 But, although and in spite of A Introduction This is a news report about Zedco. This year's figures show that Zedco has become profitable and is now doing well in spite of its recent problems. Although Chief Executive Barry Douglas has not been in charge for long, there has already been a dramatic upturn. Even though there have been very few job losses at the company, Douglas has managed to reduce costs. Nothing is certain of course, but Zedco can now look forward to a brighter future. The linking words in spite of, although, etc express the idea of a contrast. For example, there is a contrast between Zedco's profits now and its recent problems. B But and although We can join two sentences with but. The cafe was crowded, but we found a table. Nick has a car, but he doesn't often drive it. We can also use although. Although the cafe was crowded, we found a table. Although Nick has a car, he doesn't often drive it. The clause with although can come at the end. We found a table, although the cafe was crowded. C Though and even though Though is informal. It means the same as although. Though/Although I liked the sweater, I decided not to buy it. We can also use though at the end of a sentence. / liked the sweater. I decided not to buy it, though. Even though is stronger, more emphatic than although. Matthew looked quite fresh, even though he'd been playing squash. Even though you dislike Jessica, you should try to be nice to her. D In spite of and despite We use in spite of before a noun or before the ing-form of a verb. Kitty wanted to report on the war in spite of the danger. Mark went on working in spite of feeling unwell. We use despite in exactly the same way as in spite of and with the same meaning. She wanted to go despite the danger. He went on working despite feeling unwell. E In spite of and although IN SPITE OF ALTHOUGH I'm no better in spite of the pills/in spite of I'm no better, although I've taken the pills. taking the pills. Laura wants to fly in spite of her fear/in spite of Laura wants to fly, although she feels afraid. feeling afraid. NOT in spite of she feels afraid We can use in spite of the fact (that) in the same way as although. I'm no better in spite of the fact that I've taken the pills. > page 372 Punctuation 150 Exercises 1 But (B) Complete each sentence with but and one of these clauses: it didn't break, it's really quite modern, no one laughed, she turned it down ► I dropped the dish, but it didn't break. 1 The house looks old, 2 Emma was offered a job, 3 The joke was funny, 2 Although (B) Rewrite the sentences in Exercise 1 using although. ► Although I dropped the dish, it didn't break. 1 2 3 3 In spite of and although (E) Put in although or in spite of. ► My sister got the job, although she didn't expect to. 1…………………… I told the absolute truth, no one would believe me. 2 Daniel forgot his passport…………………………having it on his list. 3…………………………it was sunny, it was quite a cold day. 4 The goods were never delivered…………………………….the promise we had received. 5 Henry asked Claire to marry him…………………………… the fact that he's a lot older than her. 4 But, although, even though, in spite of and despite (A-E) Complete the report by putting in the correct linking words. There is always more than one possible answer. Although the ground was very wet, it was decided to go ahead with United's game against City. United were 1-0 winners (1)………………………… not playing very well. (2)……………………… the poor conditions, City played some attractive football, (3)………………………… they just couldn't score. (4)………………………… they lost, their fans gave them a big cheer. 5 Although, even though, in spite of and despite (A-E) Join each pair of sentences. Be careful where you put the words in brackets. ► Nick used to smoke. He seems to be in good health, (although) Although Nick used to smoke, he seems to be in good health. ► I couldn't sleep. I was tired, (despite) / couldn't sleep despite being tired. 1 Trevor didn't notice the sign. It was right in front of him. (even though) 2 Matthew doesn't know any French. It was one of his school subjects, (although) 3 Henry's friend is a millionaire. He hates spending money, (despite) 4 We couldn't get tickets. We queued for an hour, (in spite of) . despite in exactly the same way as in spite of and with the same meaning. She wanted to go despite the danger. He went on working despite feeling unwell. E In spite of and although IN SPITE. her. D In spite of and despite We use in spite of before a noun or before the ing-form of a verb. Kitty wanted to report on the war in spite of the danger. Mark went on working in spite of feeling. Complete each sentence with but and one of these clauses: it didn't break, it& apos;s really quite modern, no one laughed, she turned it down ► I dropped the dish, but it didn't break.