2 TRUTHS AND A LIE

Complete a Truth or Lie card.

One person reads their sentences and others guess which is the lie.
How many lies can you guess?

WHICH IS A LIE?

A) I have .

B) I like .

C) I can’t .

3 WISHES GAME

Which wish is a lie?

A) I wish I had .

B) I wish I were .

C) I wish I could .

Your turn!
Try the truth or lie game on the next page. Who is the best liar?

Study this lesson on EnglishCentral

 THE 3 WISHES GAME

This is a fun activity for intermediate level learners of all ages. Creative and personal.
Warmup: Begin by asking the students about their own wishes. Model the phrases –

I wish I had ………………….

I wish I were ………………..
I wish I could …………………

Then, tell the students a 3 wishes joke. 3 men on a deserted island find a bottle. Out
comes a genie. The genie gives them all one wish. The first two say they want to go
home. Poof! Your wish is granted say the genie. The last man hesitates and then says,
“I’m lonely now. I wish you would bring back my two friends!”

Game: Write 3 of your own wishes on the board using the above structures. One is a lie.
Ask the students to guess which. After you reveal the lie, ask the students to make 3
wishes but one must be a lie. Students (or teacher ) read out the wishes and the class
guesses which is not a real wish.

Activity: Give each student a “GENIE” card. (from Intermediate Communication Games
Activity #3 , Jill Hadfield ). Tell them they are all now genies BUT can only grant wishes
for what is written on their card (Love, relationships, money, time, possessions, looks,
personality). Make sure to give one genie “godly” powers. Students then walk around the
classroom searching for a genie to grant their wishes. When they have had all wishes
granted, students return to their seats.

Extension: I usually extend this game in two ways.

1. I tell more genie jokes and also ask students to relate other genie jokes (if they are
advanced enough)
2. I give a lyric cloze song sheet of “If I had a million dollars” by the Barenaked
Ladies. Students listen and fill in. Listen again to the karaoke version, sing and
check answers as the words come on the screen. LOTS OF FUN!

Genie Cards:
All Genies have the power to grant these wishes;

Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Love $ Money $

Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Talents / Abilities

WORK

Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Things / Travel /
Possessions Holidays
 Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Time Appearance
The Body

Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Personality Fame /
Character Celebrity
Grant ANY Wish Grant ANY Wish
 MAKE 3
WISHES!
1. I wish I had ____________________________.

2. I wish I were _______________________er.

more ____________________.

3. I wish I could _____________________________.

Maybe your wish will come true!

POOF! SORRY.
Your wish is granted! I can’t grant your wish!

________________________________________________________________________

MAKE 3 WISHES

1. I wish I had ____________________________.

2. I wish I were _______________________er.

more ____________________.

3. I wish I could _____________________________.

Maybe your wish will come true!

POOF! SORRY.
Your wish is granted! I can’t grant your wish!
 I wish .... / If only ......

Complete each of the sentences in such a way that it means the same as the sentence
before it.

1. I didn't do the homework.

If only I …………………… the homework.

2. They have committed a crime and now they have to face justice.
They wish they …………………… a crime.

3. This kid is so stubborn.

I wish this kid …………………… so stubborn.

4. He never does any household chores. I'm sick and tired of it.
I wish he …………………… some household chores.

5. Jason doesn't pay much attention in class.

If only Jason …………………… more attention in class.

6. Why doesn't he stop smoking? There are other people in the room who don't smoke.
If only he …………………… smoking.

7. I've got a splitting headache.

I wish I …………………… a splitting headache.

8. He signed the contract without reading the small print.

He wishes he …………………… the small print before signing the contract.

9. Steve didn't propose to Isabel when he should have. Now Isabel is in Australia.
Steve wishes he …………………… to Isabel earlier.

10. She was told off because she didn't do what her mother had asked her.
She wishes she …………………… what her mother had asked her.

11. He always belches loudly after eating. It's such a disgusting habit.
I wish he …………………… loudly after eating.

12. She didn't heed my warnings. That's why she lost everything.
If only she …………………… my warnings.
 I wish .... / If only ..... Answer Key

Complete each of the sentences in such a way that it means the same as the sentence
before it.

1. I didn't do the homework.

If only I had done the homework.

2. They have committed a crime and now they have to face justice.
They wish they hadn't committed a crime.

3. This kid is so stubborn.

I wish this kid weren't so stubborn.

4. He never does any household chores. I'm sick and tired of it.
I wish he would do some household chores.

5. Jason doesn't pay much attention in class.

If only Jason paid more attention in class.

6. Why doesn't he stop smoking? There are other people in the room who don't smoke.
If only he would stop smoking.

7. I've got a splitting headache.

I wish I didn't have a splitting headache.

8. He signed the contract without reading the small print.

He wishes he had read the small print before signing the contract.

9. Steve didn't propose to Isabel when he should have. Now Isabel is in Australia.
Steve wishes he had proposed to Isabel earlier.

10. She was told off because she didn't do what her mother had asked her.
She wishes she had done what her mother had asked her.

11. He always belches loudly after eating. It's such a disgusting habit.
I wish he wouldn't belch loudly after eating.

12. She didn't heed my warnings. That's why she lost everything.
If only she had heeded my warnings.
 “I Wish …”

To make a wish about the present, use:

wish + simple past

Examples:

I can’t visit my friends in Spain. I wish I could visit them.

I don’t have time to exercise. I wish I had time to exercise.

We are sick. I wish we weren’t sick.

These sweaters are expensive. I wish they were cheaper.

Complete the sentences.

1. I can’t remember his name.

I wish I ________________________ ________________________ his name.

2. I don’t know the answer.

I wish I ________________________ the answer.

3. I can’t go the party.

I wish I ________________________ ________________________ to the party.

4. I can’t speak Italian.

I wish I ________________________ ________________________ Italian.

5. I don’t have enough money to take a vacation.

I wish I ________________________ enough money to take a vacation.

6. I don’t know how to cook.

I wish I ________________________ how to cook.

7. I have a test tomorrow.

I wish I ________________________ ________________________ a test tomorrow.

8. My neighbors are noisy.

I wish they ________________________ quieter.
9. I have a small apartment.
I wish I ________________________ a bigger apartment.

10. My friends aren’t here.

I wish they ________________________ here.

11. The sleeves on this shirt are too short.

I wish they ________________________ longer.

12. The concert tickets are expensive.

I wish they ________________________ cheaper.

13. My sister lives far away.

I wish she ________________________ closer.

14. These oranges are sour.

I wish they ________________________ sweeter.

15. This laptop has a small screen.

I wish it ________________________ a bigger screen.

Now write your own sentence. Make a wish in the present. Use wish + simple past.

I wish ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Answers:

1. could remember
2. knew
3. could go
4. could speak
5. had
6. knew
7. didn't have
8. were
9. had
10. were
11. were
12. were
13. lived
14. were
15. had
Exercise 1

Complete the sentences with a suitable word from the list below.

TO MAKE TO BOOK YOU TO REMIND YOU

ME TO BE YOU TO SPEAK HAD

1. John wishes he __________ a car.

2. I wish __________ a complaint.

3. I wish __________ a table for 4.

4. We wish _________ our customers we will be closed tomorrow.

5. I wish __________ all the best in your new life.

6. We wish __________ a merry Christmas.

7. I don't wish __________ recognized.

8. Wish __________ luck for my exams.

9. I wish __________ to the manager.

10. I wish __________ a safe journey home.

Exercise 2
Choose the correct answer for each sentence.

1. I don't understand this point of grammar. I wish I it better.

 understood  would understand  had understood

2. I speak terrible English. I wish I English well.

 spoke  had spoken  would speak

3. I should never have said that. I wish I that.

 didn't say  wouldn't say  hadn't said

4. I miss my friends. I wish my friends here right now.

 were  would be  had been

Exercise 3
Match the statements.(A to J) with (1 to 10)

A. I'm overweight. 1. I wish I hadn't had so many beers.

B. It's raining cats and dogs. 2. I wish I hadn't eaten so much.

C. I never win at chess. 3. I wish it wasn't raining so hard.

D. I didn't go to the cinema. 4. I wish I had been able to answer them.

E. I went to 3 different pubs last night 5. I wish I could go.

F. I have eaten too much. 6. I wish I was slimmer.

G. I was wearing a tee shirt. 7. I wish I won a game occasionally.

H. She's late again. 8. I wish I hadn't been wearing a tee shirt.

I. I couldn't answer all his questions. 9. I wish I had gone.

J. I can't go to the party tonight. 10. I wish she wasn't late all the time.

Exercise 4
Put the words in the right order:

1. IT. WISH HADN'T I DONE I

_________________________________________________

2. WISH MY I'D PASSED I EXAMS.

_________________________________________________

3. SHE WISH HERE. I WERE

_________________________________________________

4. YOU WISH AWAY. WENT I

_________________________________________________

Exercise 5
Complete the sentencs with a suitable verb:

1. I live in a small house. I wish I _______________ in a bigger one.

2. My neighbour is a very rude man. I wish he _______________ more polite.