Use of I wish and If only

"I wish" and "if only" are commonly used phrases to express desires, regrets, or hypothetical situations.
Let's explore their usage and examples:

A) I wish: It is used to express a desire for something that is currently not true or to express regret about
a past situation. It can be followed by a verb in the past simple or a verb phrase in the present
conditional tense.

Examples:

1. I wish I had studied harder for the exam. (expressing regret about not studying enough in the past)

2. I wish I could travel the world. (expressing a desire for something currently not possible)"I wish it
would stop raining." (expressing a desire for the rain to stop)

B) If only: Similar to "I wish," "if only" is used to express regrets or wishes for different outcomes. It is
often followed by a verb phrase in the past simple or present conditional tense.

Examples:

1. If only I had listened to your advice. (expressing regret about not listening to advice in the past)"

2. If only I could speak French fluently. (expressing a desire to speak French proficiently)

3. If only it would stop snowing.(expressing a desire for the snow to stop falling)

Both "I wish" and "if only" can also be used to make polite requests or suggestions, though their primary
usage is expressing desires or regrets.

Example:

1. I wish you could help me with this task. (making a polite request)

2. If only we could find a compromise. (suggesting a potential solution)

Remember, "I wish" and "if only" are expressions used to convey hypothetical or desired situations and
are followed by appropriate verb tenses based on the context.