Ch 8
Regrets, Complaints and Preferences
I wish I had studied · I wish you would stop · I'd rather you didn't · It's time we left
At B2: I wish I had a car (now). B2 adds regrets about the past, complaints about other people, and two more "unreal past" structures.
I wish I had studied harder.
Past regret.
I wish you would stop interrupting.
Complaint about someone's behaviour.
wish / if only + had + past participle
I wish I hadn't eaten so much.
I did eat too much.
If only we had left earlier!
We didn't — now we're late.
I wish my neighbours would turn the music down.
I wish it would stop raining.
Not about yourself: I wish I would… is wrong → I wish I could / I wish I did.
same person
I'd rather stay in tonight. (would rather + infinitive)
another person
I'd rather you didn't smoke here. (would rather + past)
Would you rather go by train or by bus?
It's time we left.
It's time + subject + past simple.
It's high time you got a job.
high time = stronger, critical.
It's time to go.
It's time + to: a neutral statement.
I wish I didn't say that yesterday.
→
I wish I hadn't said that yesterday.
past regret → past perfect
I wish I would be taller.
→
I wish I were taller.
wish + would is for others, not yourself
I'd rather you don't tell anyone.
→
I'd rather you didn't tell anyone.
would rather + another person → past
It's time we go home.
→
It's time we went home.
it's time + subject + past
Talk about regrets and preferences.
1
Say something you wish you had done differently last year.
2
What do you wish people around you would do — or stop doing?
3
Would you rather live in the city or in the countryside?
4
Finish: It's high time I…
Recap
past regret
wish / if only + had + PP
I wish I had studied.
complaint
wish + person + would
I wish you would listen.
preference (me)
'd rather + infinitive
I'd rather stay in.
preference (you)
'd rather + you + past
I'd rather you didn't.
it's time
it's (high) time + subject + past
It's time we left.