Conditional Sentences and Wishes

Wish/If Only

• Expresses a desire for a different reality, often regretting a past action or present situation.
• Used to express a hypothetical or impossible situation.
• Usually associated with the past, present, or future.

Conditional Sentences

• Conditional sentences show a relationship between two clauses. One clause (the if-clause) sets a condition, and the other (the main clause) shows the result.
• Three main types of conditional sentences:
• Type 1 (Real possibility): If-clause describes a possible future event. Main clause describes a likely future result.
• Example: If it rains tomorrow, I will stay home.
• Type 2 (Unreal possibility): If-clause describes an improbable or impossible present or future situation. Main clause describes an unlikely or impossible result.
• Example: If I were rich, I would travel the world.
• Type 3 (Unreal past): If-clause describes an impossible past situation. Main clause describes an unrealized past result.
• Example: If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

Regret Expression

• Words and phrases used to express remorse or disappointment about past actions or events.
• Common phrases include:
• "I wish..."
• "If only..."
• "I regret..."
• "I'm sorry..."
• "I should have..."

Grammar Usage

• Wish/If only + past simple: Used to express regret about present situations.
• Example: I wish I knew more about history.
• Wish/If only + past perfect: Used to express regret about past situations.
• Example: I wish I hadn't missed the concert.
• Conditional sentences use different verb forms: Dependant on the type of conditional sentence (1, 2, or 3). Tenses must be coordinated to express the relationship between condition and result accurately.
• Focus on conditional verbs in different tenses:
  • Type 1: If + present simple, will + base form
  • Type 2: If + past simple, would + base form
  • Type 3: If + past perfect, could/would + have + past participle.
• If clause in different positions: The if clause can appear before or after the main clause, although different positions may affect meaning slightly.
• Mixed conditionals: Combine elements of different types of conditional sentences, where the if-clause describes a past situation, while the main clause describes a present or future result, or vice versa.
• Example: If I had studied harder, I would be in my dream school now. (mix of Type 2 & 3.)
• Formal vs informal regret expressions: Vary in level of formality. "I regret" tends to be more formal than "I wish" or "if only."
• Avoiding double negatives: Be aware of the correct usage to avoid double negative errors when expressing regret.