Unit 40. Would I wish … would
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We use would ('d) when we imagine a situation or action:
- It would be nice to have a holiday but we can't afford it.
- I'm not going to bed yet. I'm not tired and I wouldn't sleep.
We use would have (done) when we imagine situations or actions in the past:
- They helped me a lot. I don't know what I would have done without their help.
- I didn't go to bed. I wasn't tired, so I wouldn't have slept.
For would in sentences with if see
Unit 37 If I do … and If I did …
(использование оборотов If I do … и If I did …),
Unit 38 If I knew … I wish I knew …
(использование оборотов If I knew … и I wish I knew …),
Unit 39 If I had known … I wish I had known …
(использование оборотов If I had known … и I wish I had known …).
Compare will ('11) and would ('d):
- I'll stay a bit longer. I've got plenty of time.
- I'd stay a bit longer but I really have to go now. (so I can't stay longer)
Sometimes would/wouldn't is the past of will/won't. Compare:
present TOM: I'll phone you on Sunday. ANN: I promise I won't be late. LIZ: Damn! The car won't start. |
-> | past Tom said he'd phone me on Sunday. Ann promised that she wouldn't be late. Liz was angry because the car wouldn't start. |
Study this example situation:
|
- The phone has been ringing for five minutes. I wish somebody would answer it.
- I wish you would do something instead of just sitting and doing nothing.
You can use I wish … wouldn't … to complain about things people do repeatedly:
- I wish you wouldn't keep interrupting me.
We use I wish … would … for actions and changes, not situations. Compare:
- I wish Sarah would come. (= I want her to come)
- but I wish Sarah were (or was) here now. (not ‘I wish Sarah would be…’)
- I wish somebody would buy me a car.
- but I wish I had a car. (not ‘I wish I would have…’)
For ‘I wish … were/had (etc.)’ see
Unit 38 If I knew … I wish I knew …
(использование оборотов If I knew … и I wish I knew …) and
Unit 39 If I had known … I wish I had known …
(использование оборотов If I had known … и I wish I had known …).
You can also use would when you talk about things that happened regularly in the past:
- When we were children, we lived by the sea. In summer, if the weather was fine, we would all get up early and go for a swim. (= we did this regularly)
- Whenever Arthur was angry, he would walk out of the room.
With this meaning, would is similar to used to (see
Unit 18 Used to (do)
(использование used to do)):
- Whenever Arthur was angry, he used to walk out of the room.
See Unit 36 Can/ Could/ Would you …? etc. (Requests, offers, permission and invitations)
(использование оборотов Can/ Could/ Would you …?)
See Unit 38 If I knew … I wish I knew …
(использование оборотов If I knew … и I wish I knew …)
See Unit 39 If I had known … I wish I had known …
(использование оборотов If I had known … и I wish I had known …)
See Unit 57 Verb + -ing or to … (2) (like / would like etc.)
(глагол + -ing или infinitive 3)
See Unit 58 Prefer and would rather
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