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

Unit 39; Part A

Study this example situation:
39.1.jpg

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 thesituation. 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.). 39.2.jpg

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

1 Put the verb into the correct form.

Put the verb into the correct form.

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.

2 Write a sentence with if ... for each situation.

Write a sentence with if ... for each situation.

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 _____________________________________________

3 Write sentences beginning I wish ...

Write sentences beginning I wish ... .

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). ________________________

4 Write your own sentences beginning I wish ...

Write your own sentences beginning I wish ...

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.)
      _______________________________

Unit 38 Unit 39 Unit 40