Wish and If Only

• Used for expressing wishes or regrets.
• Wish and if only have the same meaning.
• If Only starts the sentence and is followed by a subject.
• Wish is between two subjects.

Wish/If Only Functions

• Past simple expresses wishes or regrets about the present.
• Past simple is used to express wishes about the present that are impossible or unlikely to happen.
• Past perfect expresses wishes or regrets about the past.

Grammar Transformation Rules

• Affirmative statements are negated and negative statements are affirmed when transforming sentences to express wishes.

• The verb tense is adjusted in the "wish" sentence based on the tense of the original statement.

• Present simple (V1) transforms into past simple (V2).

• Don't/Doesn't + base verb transforms into V2.

• Past simple (V2) transforms into past perfect (had + V3).

• Didn't + base verb transforms into past perfect (had + V3).

• Verb to be (is/am/are) transforms into were.

• Isn't/am not/aren't transforms into weren't.

• Was/were transforms into had been.

• Wasn't/weren't transforms into hadn't been.

• Can transforms into could.

• Can't transforms into couldn't.

• Will transforms into would.

• Won't transforms into wouldn't.

• Have to/ has to transforms into didn't have to.

• Has/have transforms into didn't have.

• Too/very transforms into so.

• Much transforms into more.

• Not(very) good at/ not(very) well transforms into better.

• Couldn't transforms into had + V3.

• (Wasn't/ weren't) able to transforms into had been able to.

• Should transforms into should (the negation stays as it was; negation stays negation and affirmative stays affirmative).

• Should + base verb transforms into had + V3.

• Shouldn't + base verb transforms into hadn't + V3.

• Phrases like "I am sorry," "It's a pity," or "Oh no" are removed when re-writing as wish statements.

Transformation scenarios

• For sentences with "need to / I'd (like-love) to / dream to / Want to", remove these phrases and convert the following verb to the past simple (V2).
• If two clauses are joined by "And, but, although, even though", then transform the first clause only, removing the conjunction and subsequent information.
• If two clauses are in the sentence and connected by words like Because, since, or as the clause that starts with these words is removed and second part if the sentence is transformed.

Regret

• If a regret is indicated by the word "regret", remove the word "regret" and transform the sentence as appropriate.
• If there is a subject after the words then the main rules apply.
• If "regret" is followed by a verb in the -ing form (Ving), convert the verb to the past perfect (hadn't + V3).

Additional notes

• When the question contains "wish/if only", eliminate the present tense options.
• When the opposite is stated as negative the answer stays negative, when the opposite is stated and it is affirmative, then the answer stays affirmative, also if so or too are the words then they are removed.