| Expressing Hope | Expressing Wishes |
|---|---|
| We use hope when something is possible or when we want something good to happen. | We use wish to talk about situations that are unreal, imaginary, or different from reality. |
| 1: hope + present simple Used for a present or future situation. Subject + hope + subject + verb – I hope you pass your exam. – We hope our team wins the match. – She hopes her parents are well. | 1. Wish + Past Simple Used to express a wish about a present situation. Subject + wish(es) + subject + past simple – I wish I had more free time. (But I don’t have much free time.) – Sara wishes she lived near her school. (But she doesn’t.) – I wish I were taller. NB: With “wish,” we often use were for all persons: – I wish I were rich. – He wishes he were here. |
| 2: hope + to + infinitive Used when the subject of hope and the subject of the action are the same. Subject + hope + to + verb – I hope to become an engineer. – They hope to study abroad. – She hopes to get good marks. | 2. Wish + Past Perfect Used to express regret about the past. Subject + wish(es) + subject + had + past participle – I wish I had studied harder for the test.(But I didn’t study hard.) – They wish they hadn’t missed the bus. – She wishes she had accepted the opportunity. |
| 3: hope + that + clause – I hope that you will succeed. – We hope that Morocco will win the match. | 3. Wish + Would Used to complain about or express a desire for a change in someone’s behaviour or a situation. Subject + wish(es) + subject + would + verb – I wish you would listen to me. – I wish it would stop raining. – We wish the teacher would give us more time. |
2. Summary
| HOPE | WISH |
|---|---|
| Something is possible. | The situation is unreal or unlikely. |
| Hope + present/future | Wish + past forms |
| I hope I pass the exam. | I wish I knew the answer. |
| Possible future result | Different from present reality |
Compare
- I hope I will pass my exam.
→ Passing is possible. - I wish I were better at mathematics.
→ I am not very good at mathematics now.
