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from English Grammar Today. We use if only to express a strong wish that things could be different. It means the same as I wish but is stronger. We use it to talk about past, present and future unreal conditions. We use if only + past verb forms to talk about a wish for the present:
I wish e if only son los elementos que te ayudan a expresar deseos en inglés, además de arrepentimientos. Gracias a su naturaleza, son muy comunes en las conversaciones del día a día, por eso aquí encontrarás sus estructuras para formar frases, cuándo usar cada uno y ejemplos útiles.
We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation we would like to be different. I wish you didn't live so far away. If only we knew what to do. He wishes he could afford a holiday. In the past. We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about something we would like to change about the past.
If only. We can use if only instead of I wish with a very similar meaning. The only difference is that if only is more emphatic. If only I was / were a bit taller!* If only you had followed my advice. If only you would make a bit of an effort. You are wasting your life! Note that we can use were instead of was with I/he/she after I wish/if only.
Sentences with wish and if only follow the same grammar rules as if-clauses in the second and third conditional. Use wish/if only + simple past/past progressive to imagine a present situation as different to how it really is. Examples: I wish I were better at languages. present reality: I am not good at languages If only it wasn’t raining.
8 de sept. de 2015 · If only se traduce como “si (tan) solo”, “ojalá”. Ambas son expresiones de lamento o arrepentimiento. Ver además: Oraciones con « would « I wish / if only en presente. Para expresar deseos hipotéticos e imposibles en el presente, en los que se desearía que la realidad fuera diferente, se utiliza I wish / if only + past simple.
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs. I wish I (know) how to sing. Maybe I’ll take lessons one day. The fireworks are so beautiful! If only Stella (be) here, they’re her favourite. Chris is tired of the city, sometimes he wishes that he (live) in the countryside.
