Hopes and Wishes

"Gonconda" Rene Magritte, 1953
(Click on the picture to enlarge it)


After "hope", use a clause in the present tense to talk about the future. For example, "I hope I get a raise next week." Notice that the clause "I get a raise next week" is in the present tense.

After "wish", use the simple past tense in the clause that follows. Use the special conjugation for "be" in the past: I were, He were, She were, It were, We were, You were, They were.
"I wish I had a good oven." (The reality is, I don't have a good oven.) "I wish my son weren't in New York". The reality is, my son is in New York, and I will miss him.

Complete the following sentences. You'll find a scrambled cue in the drop down menu. Click on the drop down menu, and you'll see the answer.

1. I hope
my son/me/visit/soonmy son visits me soon.

2. Maria hopes
not/she/for the party/lateshe isn't late for the party.

3. Sam wishes
not/he/class/today/miss class/have tohe didn't have to miss class today.

4. Mr. and Mrs. Philo saw a little leak in their ceiling. They hope
need/a new roof/not/theythey don't need a new roof.

5. Alvin wishes
expensive/not/so/the vegetablesthe vegetables weren't so expensive.

6. The workers hope
their employer/their salaries/raise/this year their employer raises their salaries this year.

7. The teachers hope
do/the students/on the exam/wellthe students do well on the exam.

8. David wishes
a job/to find/easier/itit were easier to find a job.

9. I'm having a great time on my vacation in Hawaii. I wish
here/youyou were here.

10. My wife wishes
have/my daughter/such a/dog/not/largemy daughter didn't have such a large dog.

11. Maria hopes
time/have/to cook/her family/tonight/for/sheshe has time to cook for her family tonight.

12: I was looking forward to going to the beach. I wish
raining/not/it it weren't raining.

13. I hope
clear/the weather/soon/upthe weather clears up soon

14. My daughter hopes
an Ipad/for Christmas/get/sheshe gets an Ipad for Christmas.

15. Stanley is fascinated by outer space. He wishes
an astronaut/hehe were an astronaut.

16. Betty is going to Paris by plane. She hopes
catch/not/a cold/sheshe doesn't catch cold.

17. Tom has to wait for a long time to vote in the election. He wishes
shorter/the linethe line were shorter.

18. I know what you're thinking. You hope
win/also/The World Series/next year/The GiantsThe Giants win The World Series next year also.

19. Barry is a little under the weather today. He wishes
feel better/hehe felt better.

20. This is one of the best parties I've ever been to. I wish
have to/not/at midnight/end/itit didn't have to end at midnight.

21. I can't find very many interesting programs on Cable TV. I wish
have/interesting/Cable TV/more/programs/Cable TV had more interesting programs.

22. Our afternoon classes aren't very large. The director wishes
more students/there/in those classesthere were more students in those classes.

23. The US government is considering asking the very wealthy to pay more taxes. Wealthy people hope
taxes/their/go up/not/too much their taxes don't go up too much.

24. Daniel can't swim more than two laps. He wishes
ten laps/can/at least/swim/hehe could swim at least ten laps.

25. Grammar Practice is always growing. New exercises are always being added. What grammar are you confused about? Your questions are very helpful for the development of this site. What kind of exercises do you wish
have/Grammar PracticeGrammar Practice had Your wishes will come true if you leave a comment.

Present, Unreal Conditional. Fill the Blanks.

"Breakfast" by Paul Signac

The Present Unreal Conditional is how you can express a hypothetical situation, a fantasy, or any alternative to what is real in this moment. This type of sentence has two clauses: a condition clause in the past tense and a result clause: "would" plus a verb's base form. For the verb "be", in the condition clause, use "were" for all subject pronouns. This all may sound a little complicated, but if you try the following exercise, you'll get a feeling for it.


1. Tim feels sick today. If he well, come to school. felt ... he'd

2. Mary doesn't like to play soccer. If she to play soccer, join our game on Sunday. liked ... she'd

3. The students enjoy reading and listening to stories. If they enjoy reading and listening to stories, the teacher choose that activity. didn't ... wouldn't

4. Harry doesn't need a used car. If he a new car, go to Rick Pollack's Used Car Lot. He'd find a different vendor. needed ... he wouldn't

5. The workers don't receive decent wages. do much better work if good salaries. They'd ... they received

6. My wife and I aren't interested in quiz shows on TV. If interested in TV quiz shows, watch them more often. we were ... we'd

7. Cynthia is a fine lawyer. If a fine lawyer, be a candidate for the district judge position. she weren't ... she wouldn't

8. Mr. and Mrs. Jones don't own a jet airplane. If a jet airplane, travel to Bermuda more often. they owned ... they'd

9. You aren't losing money with your investments.
chose different companies, if losing money with your investments. You'd ... you were

10. The children don't want to go to bed early. If they to go to bed early, get more sleep. wanted ... they'd

11. Diana isn't used to eating spicy food. eat more Mexican dishes if used to eating spicy food. She'd ... she were

12. Oscar's apartment is too small. If it a larger apartment, enjoy living there more. were ... he'd

13 It rains too much in Oregon. Mary consider moving there if it rain so much there. would ... didn't

14. My parents don't have time to go on vacation. If they time to go on vacation, travel to Hawaii. had ... they'd

15. My daughter makes delicious and beautiful cakes. have a successful cake business if make such delicious and beautiful cakes. she wouldn't ... she didn't

16. Jack must be real thirsty. If so thirsty, be drinking a half gallon of water. he weren't ... he wouldn't

17. Stan is planning to retire soon . work for the company several years longer if planning to retire soon. He'd ... he weren't

18. Damian loves to attend jazz concerts. If to attend jazz concerts, go out every Friday and Saturday night. he didn't love ... he wouldn't

19. The coffee shop is open early on Sundays. If open early on Sundays, Julia have her coffee at home. it weren't ... would

20. The Andersons aren't in San Francisco this week. You able to meet with them if in San Francisco this week. would be ... they were

Try Grammar Talk 16, Page One. It's good conversation practice for Present Unreal Conditional

Jennifer ESL talk about the Present Unreal Conditional: