Wish past tense

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Meaning of wish

to feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that is not easily attainable; want something that cannot or probably will not happen.

Infinitive

Word: wish /wɪʃ/
Examples:
  • 1. I always wish for good health on my birthday.
  • 2. She wishes for a chance to travel the world.
  • 3. He wishes to learn a new language this year.

Past Simple

Word: wished /wɪʃt/
Examples:
  • 1. I wished for peace and happiness on my birthday.
  • 2. She wished she could turn back time and make different choices.
  • 3. They wished they had brought an umbrella when it started to rain unexpectedly.

Past Participle

Word: wished /wɪʃt/
Examples:
  • 1. The birthday presents had been wished for by the children for months.
  • 2. A quiet evening at home was wished for after a hectic week of work.
  • 3. Every star in the sky was wished upon during the meteor shower.

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Bare infinitive

  1. General To express a general desire or want in the present or future.
    Example. I always wish for good health on my birthday.
    Example. She always wishes for the same thing when she sees a shooting star.
  2. Habitual or repeated actions. When referring to desires or wants that occur on a regular basis.
    Example. I always wish for good health on my birthday.
    Example. She always wishes for the same thing when she sees a shooting star.

Past Simple

  1. Past actions or situations. When referring to a desire or want that was felt at a specific moment in the past.
    Example. He wished for a new bike on his tenth birthday.
    Example. I wished you were here with me.
    Example. They told me they wished for a peaceful vacation.
  2. Conditional sentences (type 2). To express desires or wants in hypothetical or unreal situations in the present or future.
    Example. He wished for a new bike on his tenth birthday.
    Example. I wished you were here with me.
    Example. They told me they wished for a peaceful vacation.
  3. When reporting speech indirectly. To report what someone desired or wanted in the past.
    Example. He wished for a new bike on his tenth birthday.
    Example. I wished you were here with me.
    Example. They told me they wished for a peaceful vacation.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses (Present perfect, past perfect, etc.). To talk about desires or wants that have been felt at some point up to now (present perfect) or had been felt before another action in the past (past perfect).
    Example. Present Perfect. She has always wished to visit Paris.
    Example. Past Perfect. Before she moved to New York, she had wished for a chance to live abroad.
    Example. A cure for the disease has been wished for by many.
    Example. If he had known about the consequences, he might have wished differently.
  2. Passive voice. When the focus is on the object or the action rather than who desires or wants something.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has always wished to visit Paris.
    Example. Past Perfect. Before she moved to New York, she had wished for a chance to live abroad.
    Example. A cure for the disease has been wished for by many.
    Example. If he had known about the consequences, he might have wished differently.
  3. Conditional perfect in the third conditional sentences. To talk about desires or wants in hypothetical situations in the past that did not happen.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has always wished to visit Paris.
    Example. Past Perfect. Before she moved to New York, she had wished for a chance to live abroad.
    Example. A cure for the disease has been wished for by many.
    Example. If he had known about the consequences, he might have wished differently.

Common mistakes

— 01

Misuse of 'wish'

A common mistake is using the past simple form of 'wish' incorrectly in conditional sentences, especially when expressing regret or a desire for a situation in the past to have been different. The correct form should involve the past perfect tense, not just the past simple. For example, the incorrect sentence 'I wish I knew this yesterday' should be 'I wish I had known this yesterday' to correctly express a regret about not knowing something in the past.

— 02

Confusing 'Wish' with 'Hoped'

Another mistake is using 'wish' in its past form to talk about future events, when 'hoped' would be more appropriate. 'Wish' in its past forms is typically used for current or past desires, not future ones. For instance, saying 'I wish I will go to the party' is incorrect; it should be 'I hope I will go to the party' for future desires or 'I wished to go to the party' if referring to a past desire.

— 03

Misusing Past Participle

A common error is omitting necessary auxiliary verbs when using 'wish' with the past participle to express regret or hypothetical situations. The correct structure should include the auxiliary verb 'had' when using the past participle. For example, saying 'I wish I done it differently' is incorrect; it should be 'I wish I had done it differently' to correctly express regret over an action in the past.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'wish'?

The past simple form of 'wish' is 'wished'. This form is used to talk about desires or situations in the past that did not happen or were unlikely to happen. For example, 'I wished for peace.'

How do you use the past participle form of 'wish'?

The past participle form of 'wish' is also 'wished'. It is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For instance, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'I have wished for a better outcome.' In a passive voice construction, you could say, 'A new beginning was wished for by everyone.'

Can you give an example of 'wished' used in a sentence in the past simple tense?

Certainly! Here is an example in the past simple tense. 'Last year, she wished to visit Paris, but she couldn't make the trip.' This sentence expresses a desire in the past that was not fulfilled.

How can 'wished' be used in a sentence using a perfect tense?

Here's an example using the present perfect tense. 'We have always wished for a chance to speak openly.' This sentence indicates that the desire started in the past and continues into the present.