Cesto koristimo I wish/If only  kada govorimo o situacijama koje su plod naše mašte, odnosno nešto što
zamisljamo, nešto što je veoma često u potpunoj suprotnosti od trenutne situacije.

I wish I had my own car.

  Uz pomoć I wish/if only možemo govoriti o našim željama u sadašnjosti i prošlosti.

 Želje u sadašnjosti

1. Kada govorimo o činjenicama, koristi se forma:

wish + (that) + past simple 

Primeri:
 I wish I knew where your father was.
 I wish you were here.
 I wish I could speak Rusian language.
 I wish I had a car.
 My boss wishes he could speak English better.

2. Kada govorimo o željama vezanim za radnju koja duže traje koristi se forma:

wish + (that) + past continuous

Primeri:
 I wish you weren't chasing these impossible dreams.
 I wish I was lying on beach now.
 I wish it wasn't raining.
 I wish I was having a picnic now.
 I wish you weren't leaving now.

Želje u prošlosti

1. Kada o govorimo o našim željama vezanim za prošlost, koristi se forma:

wish + (that) + past perfect simple

Obično na ovaj način izražavamo  žaljenje za nečim iz prošlosti.

Primeri:
 I wish I hadn't eaten so much,
 I wish they had come on holiday with us.
 I wish we hadn't gone into partnership.
 I wish you had been here yesterday.
  I wish I had left before.
2. Za žaljenje za nečim što se desilo u prošlisti (ili se nije desilo), takođe koristimo i sledeću formu:
should/shouldn't have + past participle

Primeri:
 I should have eaten before I went in.
 I should have listened to my parents.
 You should have called me last night.
 Jane should have done her homework.
 We shouldn't have made a big mess here.