Tag: interchange 2

Wish

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Situation in the present = wish + simple past

It is used to express regret for a present situation and also used when the speaker wants reality to be different, to be exactly the opposite.

  • I don’t have a lot of money (I)

              I wish I had a lot of money

  • He isn’t here now (I)

              I wish he were here

  • She has to work overtime

             She wishes she didn’t have to work overtime

Note: When using to be, both forms are accepted was or were, but were is standard English and was is more informal.

Situation in the past = Wish + past perfect

To express regret for a past situation

  • I didn’t go to San Francisco last year

              I wish I had gone to San Francisco last year

  • She saw a horror movie on TV last night

              She wishes she hadn’t seen a horror movie on TV last night

Situation in the future = Wish + would/could

  • He won’t play better in the next game (they)

               They wish they would play better in the next game

  • You will talk all the time (I)

              I wish you wouldn’t talk all the time

Note: to express criticism of other’s people behavior or show a desire for an action to take place – for somebody else to do something

I wish he wouldn’t smoke here. This room is stuffy already. (but he probably will)

Grammar note:

We use wish + would to show dissatisfaction with a present situation;  when you want something to change or somebody else to do something and feel annoyed or disappointed because they haven’t done yet so we cannot say “I wish I would” or “He wishes he would”

Wish + object

To express a greeting or a kind of blessing

I wish you a merry Christmas

Wish + Infinitive

To express a desire to do something; formal

We wish to establish new criteria for selecting candidates

Participles as adjectives – Unit 13 – Interchange 2

Interested and interesting etc

…ed – Interested, bored, excited, amazed etc say how people feel, so it is connected to people.

…ing – Interesting, boring, exciting, amazing etc describe the people or things that cause the feelings.

The party was surprising.

I was surprised by the party.

The book is interesting.

I’m interested in the book.

The movie Avatar is amazing.

Angelina Jolie is an amazing actress.

Source: Practical English Usage – Michael Swan

Present Perfect Continuous – Unit 12 – interchange 2

1) We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about actions that started in the past and continue into the present.

The structure:

Have/has (not) + been + …Ing

What have you been doing lately?

I’ve been working two jobs for the last six months.

How long has she been studying English?

She’s been studying English for 2 years.

2) The present perfect continuous can also be used without a time expression to describe an activity that started in the past but it is still in progress:

I’ve been thinking about taking a trip.