Unit 39. If I knew ... I wish I knew.

Unit 39- Part A

Study this example situation:

Sarah wants to phone Paul, but she can’t do this because she doesn’t know his number.
She says:
If I knew his number, I would phone him.

Sarah says: If I knew his number … . This tells us that she doesn’t know his number. She is imagining the situation. The real situation is that she doesn’t know his number.

When you imagine a situation like this, you use if + past (if I knew / if you were / if we didn’t etc.). But the meaning is present, not past:
•    Tom would read more if he had more time. (but he doesn’t have much time)
•    If I didn’t want to go to the party, I wouldn’t go. (but I want to go)
•    We wouldn’t have any money if we didn’t work. (but we work)
•    If you were in my position, what would you do?
•    It’s a pity you can’t drive. It would be useful if you could.

Unit 39- Part B

We use the past in the same way after wish (I wish I knew /I wish you were etc.).

We use wish to say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it to be:
•    I wish I knew Paul’s phone number.
     (= I don’t know it and I regret this)
•    Do you ever wish you could fly?
     (you can’t fly)
•    It rains a lot here. I wish it didn’t rain so often.
•    It’s very crowded here. I wish there weren’t so many people.
     (there are a lot of people)
•    I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow, but unfortunately I do.

Unit 39- Part C

If I were / if I was
After if and wish, you can use were instead of was (if I were … / I wish it were etc.). I was / it was are also possible. So you can say:
•    If I were you, I wouldn’t buy that coat.       or       If I was you, …
•    I’d go out if it weren’t so cold.    or       … if it wasn’t so cold.
•    I wish Carol were here.    or       I wish Carol was here.

Unit 39- Part D

We do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence or after wish:

• If I were rich, I would have a yacht. (not If I would be rich)
• I wish I had something to read. (not I wish I would have)

Sometimes wish … would is possible: I wish you would listen. See Unit 41.

Unit 39- Part E

Could sometimes means ‘would be able to’ and sometimes ‘was/were able to’:

• You could get a better job (you could get = you would be able to get)
if you could use a computer. (you could use = you were able to use)

Exercises

{slide=1 Put the verb into the correct form.} Put the verb into the correct form.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}3    ‘d help / would help
4    lived
5    ‘d live / would live
6    would taste
7    were/was
8    wouldn’t wait … ‘d go / would go
9    didn’t go
10 weren’t … wouldn’t be{end-tooltip}

1    If I    knew    (know) his number, I would phone him.
2    I    wouldn’t buy    (not / buy) that coat if I were you.
3    I _______________ (help) you if I could, but I’m afraid I can’t.
4    We would need a car if we _______________ (live) in the country.
5    If we had the choice, we _______________ (live) in the country.
6    This soup isn’t very good. It _______________ (taste) better if it wasn’t so salty.
7    I wouldn’t mind living in England if the weather _______________ (be) better.
8    If I were you, I _______________ (not /wait). I _______________ (go) now.
9    You’re always tired. If you _______________ (not / go) to bed so late every night, you wouldn’t be tired all the time.
10 I think there are too many cars. If there _______________ (not / be) so many cars, there _______________ (not / be) so much pollution.{/slide} {slide=2 Write a sentence with if … for each situation.}Write a sentence with if … for each situation.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2    I’d buy it / I would buy it if it weren’t/wasn’t so expensive. or    … if it were/was cheaper.
3    We’d go out / We would go out more often if we could afford it.
4    If I didn’t have to work late, I could meet you tomorrow. or … I’d meet / I would meet… or … I’d be able to meet …
5    We could have lunch outside if it weren’t raining / wasn’t raining.
6    If I wanted his advice, I’d ask for it / I would ask for it.{end-tooltip}

1    We don’t see you very often because you live so far away.
    If you didn’t live so far away, we’d see you more often.
2    This book is too expensive, so I’m not going to buy it.
      I’d ____________________ if _____________________!
3    We don’t go out very often – we can’t afford it.
      We _____________________________________________
4    I can’t meet you tomorrow – I have to work late.
      If _____________________________________________
5    It’s raining, so we can’t have lunch outside.
    _____________________________________________
6    I don’t want his advice, and that’s why I’m not going to ask for it.
      If _____________________________________________ {/slide} {slide=3 Write sentences beginning I wish …} Write sentences beginning I wish … .
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2    I wish I had a mobile phone.
3    I wish Helen were/was here.
4    I wish it weren’t/wasn’t (so) cold.
5    I wish I didn’t live in a big city.
6    I wish I could go to the party.
7    I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow.
8    I wish I knew something about cars.
9    I wish I were feeling / was feeling better.{end-tooltip}

1    I don’t know many people (and I’m lonely). I wish I knew more people.
2    I don’t have a mobile phone (and I need one). I wish ________________________
3    Helen isn’t here (and I need to see her). ________________________
4    It’s cold (and I hate cold weather! ________________________
5    I live in a big city (and I don’t like it). ________________________
6    I can’t go to the party (and I’d like to). ________________________
7    I have to work tomorrow (but I’d like to stay in bed). ________________________
8    I don’t know anything about cars (and my car has just broken down). ________________________
9    I’m not feeling well (and it’s not nice). ________________________{/slide} {slide=4 Write your own sentences beginning I wish …}Write your own sentences beginning I wish …
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}Example answers:
1    I wish I was at home.
2    I wish I had a big garden.
3    I wish I could tell jokes.
4    I wish I was taller.{end-tooltip}

1    (somewhere you’d like to be now – on the beach, in New York, in bed etc.)
      I wish I _______________________________
2    (something you’d like to have – a computer, a job, lots of money etc.)
      _______________________________
3    (something you’d like to be able to do – sing, speak a language, fly etc.)
      _______________________________
4    (something you’d like to be – beautiful, strong, rich etc.)
      _______________________________ {/slide}

Unit 38 Unit 39 Unit 40