Wish

wish + infinitive wish + object + infinitive wish + two objects I wish + would + infinitive wish + (that) + simple past wish + had + past participle

wish + infinitive
We use this structure in formal situations to mean want. e.g. The service was unacceptable. I wish to see the manager. If you wish to make a complaint, please telephone customer service.

wish + object + infinitive

As with wish + infinitive, we use this structure in formal situations to mean want. e.g. I do not wish my photograph to appear on the web-site. Do you wish me to carry your suitcase, Madam?

wish + two objects

We use wish + two objects in fixed expressions of good wishes. e.g. We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. I wish you a speedy recovery. Heres wishing you all the best in your new job.

I wish + would + infinitive

We use this structure when we want something to happen or when we want somebody to do or not to do something. We are not happy with the current situation, so it often expresses dissatisfaction or annoyance. It can be like an order or a critical request. We can replace wish with if only, to make the sentence more emphatic. e.g. I wish he would stop complaining. I wish youd help me around the house for a change. I wish you would quit making so much noise. I wish you wouldnt drive so fast. Sometimes we talk as if things or situations could be willing or unwilling, or could insist or refuse to do things. e.g. Dont you wish this moment would last forever? I wish it would stop raining. If the verb is an event verb (e.g. become, get, come, leave hit), then the sentence is referring to the future. In this case, we can use either would or could. e.g. I wish I could go with you to the barbecue at the weekend. I wish you would leave. However, if you have wishes about simple future events, you need to use hope. e.g. I hope we dont get snow tomorrow. I hope hell talk to me at the party this evening.

wish + (that) + simple past

We use this structure to express regrets, and wishes for unlikely or impossible things. You want to change a present state. We are not talking about willingness, unwillingness, insistence or refusal (when would would be used). We can replace wish with if only, to make the sentence more emphatic. e.g. I wish (that) I were/was taller. (were is more formal, but still commonly used) If only I was/were taller. I wish (that) I spoke Portuguese well. Jack wishes (that) I didnt smoke.

She wishes (that) she didnt have to work at the weekend. I wish I lived in Italy. I wish you didnt have to leave now.

wish + had + past participle

(DO NOT use Wish + would have + past participle. You may hear some native speakers using this structure, but it is not considered grammatically correct). We use this structure as a conditional to mean you wish something had happened, and you are sorry that it didnt happen. You are expressing a regret about the past. e.g. I feel terribly guilty. I wish I hadnt told Sam Toms secret. I had a great holiday, but I wish the weather had been better. I feel ill. I wish I hadnt come into work today. Do you wish you had gone out with Peter instead of Paul?

MODULE 8 INVERSION and FRONTING

INVERSION
This involves using question word after an adverbial with a negative or restrictive meaning comes at the beginning of the sentence. These structures are normally only used in formal speech and writing. Note that all these adverbials can be used without inversion if they come in the normal position.

never rarely seldom No sooner than Hardly when Scarcely. when Only after, only when, only later, only then, only On no condition, under no circumstances, on no account, at no time, in no way Not until Not onlybut also Little

never I have never seen a more obvious case of cheating! (normal position) Never have I seen a more obvious case of cheating! rarely Rarely does such a rare painting come on the market. No sooner. than No sooner had I shut the door than I realized I had left my keys inside. Hardly. when Hardly had the play started when there was a disturbance in the audience. Scarcely .. when (than) Scarcely had they entered the castle when there was a huge explosion. Only after, only when, only later, only then, only Only Jane managed to finish the project on time. (no inversion) Only in a city as large as this can you find so many foreign restaurants. Only after we had left the ship did we realize that the captain had remained. On no condition, under no circumstances, on no account, at no time, in no way Under no circumstances is this door to be left unlocked. Not until Not until he stopped to rest did Jack realize that he had been wounded. Not onlybut also Not only did he lose all the money, but he also found himself in debt. Little Little did anyone suspect what was about to happen.

FRONTING

This involves putting first a clause not normally at the beginning of the sentence. It may also involve putting the verb in an inverted position.

Relative clauses can be placed first when they normally follow negative verbs of understanding, knowing, etc. This is normally in spoken form.

I have no idea who he is. Who he is, I have no idea. I really dont know what you mean. What you mean, I really dont know.

Here, there, back, out, up, down, on, off etc. can begin a sentence or a clause, followed by a verb. This is usually come or go. The sentence is often an exclamation.

A messenger came back with the answer. Back came a messenger with the answer. Here comes the rain! Out went the lights!

In the same way, an adverbial phrase can begin a sentence or a clause, followed by a verb. This kind of sentence is common in literary writing.

A group of armed men came along the street. Along the street came a group of armed men.

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

as, thought with may, might

It may sound unlikely, but its true. Unlikely as it may sound, its true.

try as (someone) might

This construction is used to mean that although someone tried hard, they couldnt succeed in what they were trying to do. She tried hard, but couldnt move the wardrobe. Try as she might, she couldnt move the wardrobe.

were, had, should conditional sentences

These are highly formal, and omit if, putting the auxiliary at the beginning of the sentence. If the government were to resign, the situation might be resolved. Were the government to resign, the situation might be resolved.