Unit 38. If I knew … I wish I knew …
(использование оборотов If I knew… и I wish I knew…)

Study this example situation:

Sue wants to phone Paul but she can't do this because she doesn't know his number. She says:

If I knew his number, I would phone him.

Sue says: If I knew his number… This tells us that she doesn't know his number. She is imagining the situation. The real situation is that she doesn't know his number.

When you imagine a situation like this, you use if + past (if I knew / if you were / if we didn't etc.). But the meaning is present, not past:

Tom would read more if he had more time. (but he doesn't have much time)
If I didn't want to go to the party, I wouldn't go. (but I want to go)
We wouldn't have any money if we didn't work. (but we work)
If you were in my position, what would you do?
It's a pity you can't drive. It would be useful if you could.

We use the past in the same way after wish (I wish I knew /I wish you were etc.). We use wish to say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it to be:

I wish I knew Paul's phone number. (= I don't know it and I regret this)
Do you ever wish you could fly? (you can't fly)
It rains a lot here. I wish it didn't rain so often.
It's very crowded here. I wish there weren't so many people. (but there are a lot of people)
I wish I didn't have to work. (but I have to work)

After if and wish, you can use were instead of was (if I were /I wish it were etc.). So you can say:

If I were you, I wouldn't buy that coat. or If I was you…
I'd go out if it weren't raining. or … if it wasn't raining.
I wish it were possible. or I wish it was possible.

We do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence or after wish:

If I were rich, I would have a yacht. (not ‘If I would be rich’)
I wish I had something to read. (not ‘I wish I would have’)

Sometimes wish … would is possible (‘I wish you would listen’). See Unit 40 Would I wish … would
(использование данных оборотов).

Note that could sometimes means ‘would be able to’ and sometimes ‘was/were able to’:

You could get a job more easily (you could get = you would be able to get)
if you could speak a foreign language. (you could speak = you were able to speak)

See Unit 37 If I do … and If I did …
(использование оборотов If I do … и If I did …)

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 40 Would I wish … would
(использование данных оборотов)

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Unit 38. If I knew … I wish I knew … (использование оборотов If I knew… и I wish I knew…)

Unit 38. If I knew … I wish I knew …
(использование оборотов If I knew… и I wish I knew…)