# I wish + past simple / I wish + would



## mysina

Hello. Are all of these sentences correct and if so, what´s the difference between them? Thanks for your answers.

I wish it stopped raining. 
I wish it would stop raining.

I wish it didn´t rain so often.
I wish it wouldn´t rain so often.


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## johnydynamic

mysina said:


> I wish it stopped raining.
> I wish it would stop raining.
> 
> I wish it didn´t rain so often.
> I wish it wouldn´t rain so often.


 
#1 - Bad grammar
#2 through #4 - Fine

"I wish it would stop raining" means that it is raining right now, and you want it to stop.

"I wish it didn't rain so often" and "I wish it wouldn't rain so often" seem interchangeable. Both mean that it rains more than you'd like, but it's not necessarily raining at the moment. The "didn't" version is more conversational.

Regards,
Johny D.


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## mysina

johnydynamic said:


> #1 - Bad grammar
> #2 through #4 - Fine
> 
> "I wish it would stop raining" means that it is raining right now, and you want it to stop.
> 
> "I wish it didn't rain so often" and "I wish it wouldn't rain so often" seem interchangeable. Both mean that it rains more than you'd like, but it's not necessarily raining at the moment. The "didn't" version is more conversational.
> 
> Regards,
> Johny D.



Why is it possible to say ´I wish it didn´t rain so often.´ but not ´I wish it stopped raining.´? The sentence doesn´t sound correct to me but I don´t know why.


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## Thomas Tompion

mysina said:


> Why is it possible to say ´I wish it didn´t rain so often.´ but not ´I wish it stopped raining.´? The sentence doesn´t sound correct to me but I don´t know why.


It's perfectly correct to say _I wish it stopped raining_, in certain contexts.

A problem with your thread, Mysina, is that in the OP you didn't say what you think the differences are, so it's hard for us to know how to answer helpfully.


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## KHS

However, although what Thomas Tompion says is true - context helps us help you - in one case you are discussing a one-time event happening in the present, in the other you are discussing a habitual pattern.  It's not unusual for this type of shift in meaning to change the possible grammar.


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## johnydynamic

Can someone provide a context in which "I wish it stopped raining" wouldn't sound awkward?

Without "had". It just doesn't sound right, or perhaps more accurately, formal.


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## KHS

johnydynamic said:


> Can someone provide a context in which "I wish it stopped raining" wouldn't sound awkward?
> 
> Without "had". It just doesn't sound right, or perhaps more accurately, formal.



I had much the same thought.


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## americàn.che.dscarr

Hi all,

I just want to confirm that JohnyD is correct. Fercho, to compare English grammar with Spanish syntax is asking for errors and confusion. 

In fact, as a native English speaker, I have heard "I wish it would stop raining" spoken with much greater frequency. You must remember that you are referring to a conditional state, as you are expressing a personal wish/thought/desire.

Regarding the first sentence, I cannot think of a usage that sounds native to American English; however, I cannot think of a reason or grammatical rule off the top of my head to label it incorrect.

Hope that adds some clarity.


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## Thomas Tompion

Let's discuss the difference between

_I wish it stopped raining_ and
_I wish it would stop raining_

I agree that the first only usually could apply to a habit of the weather, and that the second could apply both to the present moment and to a habit.

I also think you'd be far more likely to hear the second than the first to describe the habit:_ I wish it would stop raining every Friday afternoon when I'm free to play tennis._

Someone said earlier that the simple past wasn't possible - I think it is, just - in this construction, but it is very possible in similar constructions which are personal: e.g.

_I wish I saw her more often._
_I wish she telephoned me more frequently._

I'm interested in why the construction is less happy in the case of the weather. Is it the impersonal construction? I don't think so:_ I wish it rained more in Cairo._

Maybe it's the fact that _I wish it stopped raining_ seems to personify the weather god.


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## KHS

It's the verb _stop _in conjunction with _wish_.  It's also not possible to say:

*_I wish she stopped going there._

Notice that:
_I hope it stopped raining._ (past orientation)
but not
_*I hope it would stop raining._
but
_I hope it will stop raining._

_I wish it would stop raining._
but not
_*I wish it stopped raining._

It's something about the future orientation of _wish_ in conjunction with the concept of stopping.

Is it that _stopped_ cannot be seen as habitual when used in this way?


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## johnydynamic

Thomas Tompion said:


> Let's discuss the difference between
> 
> _I wish she telephoned me more frequently._


 

I'm in the same boat as americàn.che.dscarr. I can't empirically fault the sentence construction, but the sentence above rubs me the same way as the sentence I disparaged in my initial reply. Perhaps it's a regional thing?

Regards,
Johny D.


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## Thomas Tompion

johnydynamic said:


> I'm in the same boat as americàn.che.dscarr. I can't empirically fault the sentence construction, but the sentence above rubs me the same way as the sentence I disparaged in my initial reply. Perhaps it's a regional thing?
> 
> Regards,
> Johny D.


Maybe Johny,

I could certainly say _I wish she stopped going there_, and I'm very hesitant to say such things are not possible, because I know how varied people are in the way they express themselves. The embarrassing thing is that the form which KHS says is impossible _I wish she stopped etc._ scores 51 million hits on Google and even if you discount 50 million of them, you seem to be left with a lot of people who think it's possible. That sort of thing makes life difficult for learners.


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## KHS

Interesting.

I could say

_I wish she stopped the car more often so I could stretch my legs._

but not

_*I wish she stopped going there once and for all._

so it appears that it is the non-habitual nature of the action that doesn't allow it in my idiolect.


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## Thomas Tompion

I could say both, but I agree with you that I'd be more likely to say _I wish she would..._ in the second sentence.


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## KHS

Just for good measure, I checked the Corpus of Contemporary American English (which is pretty much professional and academic type usage) for the strings

_wish [any pronoun] stopped_
and
_wish [any noun] stopped_

and there were no instances of either.

So it appears that the registers/varieties which allow it are informal and/or regional.


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## KHS

I stumbled across this related thread:

*I wish it <would stop/ stopped>  raining*

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2062876&highlight=would


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## Forero

I think Fercho_charming's confusion stems from the fact that _would_ is not always an auxiliary expressing a conditional situation (e.g. I would if I could) but is also the past tense of _will_, which itself has multiple meanings (e.g. Little did he know he would soon (= was soon to) find out otherwise/He just wouldn't (= simply refused to) help me/Every time he came to town, she would hide (= used to hide) under the bed).

A verb after "I wish" is generally in the past (subjuctive) tense and corresponds to a present tense in a sort of alternate universe:

_I wish I were with you._
In the world of my wishes, I am with you.

_I wish it would stop raining._ (_Would_ is past tense of _will_, and might be "were disposed to" or "were going to".)
In the world of my wishes, it will stop raining.

_  I wish it wouldn't rain so often.
_In the world of my wishes, it won't rain so often.

_I wish it didn't rain so often.
_In the world of my wishes, it doesn't rain so often.

_I wish it stopped raining.
_In the world of my wishes, it stops raining.

This last is perfectly grammatical, and is most useful when "stops" does not mean "will stop". For example—

A. _I wish it would stop raining at each scheduled outing.
_    In the world of my wishes, it will stop raining at each sheduled outing.

Sentence A could be taken two ways: (1) I wish it would stop always raining at outings, and (2) I wish it would always stop raining whenever we had an outing.

I think the "stopped" version of sentence A conveys this second meaning more clearly:

A'. _I wish it stopped raining for each scheduled outing.
_In the world of my wishes, it stops raining for each scheduled outing.

Similarly in sentence B:

B. _I wish it stopped raining whenever I went on holiday._
    In the world of my wishes, it stops raining whenever I go on holiday.


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## Einstein

"I wish" in this sense is followed by a subjunctive, in other words a past form to express a hypothetical present. We see this clearly with the verb "be": "I wish you were here".

You don't live next door to me (a real situation, present tense).
I wish you lived next door to me (unreal, past subjunctive).
I hope you will come and live next door to me (possible future; the subjunctive is not used after "hope").
I wish you would come and live next door to me (possible future; here "would" is the past subjunctive of "will").

I add my voice to the others about the "conditional": the word "would" has various meanings and is not always translatable into other languages as the "conditional tense".

About "I wish it stopped raining". This doesn't sound right to me; in all these cases I find it more natural to say "I wish it would stop raining" because "stop" expresses an event. On the other hand, in "I wish you lived next door to me", the verb "live" expresses a state. THis can be applied to habitual actions too, but not to single events or changes.

Examples:
"I wish I were rich" but "I wish I would win the lottery".
"I wish it didn't rain so much" but "I wish it would stop raining". Also "I wish it would rain less", because this implies a change.
"I wish I had a fast car" but "I wish someone would give me a fast car".

Probably there are other arguments to be added here...


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## arturolczykowski

I'm not native speaker of English but I think that both sentences are ok, the meaning is a bit different though...

Sentences with past tenses after wish generally mean 'it would be nice if...':
I wish I spoke English = It would be nice if I spoke English

I wish it stopped raining - It would be nice if it stopped raining

Sentences with 'wish'...'would' express regret or annoyance that something will not happen:
I wish you would stop smoking = Why won't you stop smoking

I wish it would stopped raining - It will keep on raining


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## arturolczykowski

> About "I wish it stopped raining". This doesn't sound right to me; in  all these cases I find it more natural to say "I wish it would stop  raining" because "stop" expresses an event. On the other hand, in "I  wish you lived next door to me", the verb "live" expresses a state. THis  can be applied to habitual actions too, but not to single events or  changes.



Michael Swan in Practical English Usage gives this example of 'wish' and past tenses after it:

All the staff wish you weren't leaving so soon.

This contradicts your explanation if I understood him correctly. It's  about one event and change as well.


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## Einstein

arturolczykowski said:


> Michael Swan in Practical English Usage gives this example of 'wish' and past tenses after it:
> 
> All the staff wish you weren't leaving so soon.
> 
> This contradicts your explanation if I understood him correctly. It's  about one event and change as well.


Well, I expected extra comments. To reconcile this with what I said previously, we can say that the present continuous form, "I am leaving the company soon", expresses a programme, an intention, that exists in the present. That's why we can say "we wish you weren't leaving so soon".
But when speaking about the action as an event in the future we can say "we wish you wouldn't leave so soon", but not "we wish you didn't leave so soon".


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## Enigmista

IMHO 

I think we can _*only*_ use the structure "_wish + simple past_" with regard to "states" that we want to be different in the present and/or future.
It's very unlikely or even impossible for the action to happen though

Use "_wish + would_" in all other situation where we're dealing with "action verbs" and habitual actions. There must be a chance for the action to happen and we want somebody else do something differently. We're also conveying dissatisfaction and a sort of annoyance through this structure


I'll wait for you natives to correct me


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## Einstein

Enigmista said:


> IMHO
> 
> I think we can _*only*_ use the structure "_wish + simple past_" with regard to "states" that we want to be different in the present and/or future.
> It's very unlikely or even impossible for the action to happen though
> 
> Use "_wish + would_" in all other situation where we're dealing with "action verbs" and habitual actions. There must be a chance for the action to happen and we want somebody else do something differently. We're also conveying dissatisfaction and a sort of annoyance through this structure
> 
> I'll wait for you natives to correct me


I think you've got it!


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## arturolczykowski

I think I agree. 'I wish it stopped raining' may be alright if we talk about state, i.e 'I wish it stopped raining in summers'... am I right?


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## Enigmista

arturolczykowski said:


> I think I agree. 'I wish it stopped raining' may be alright if we talk about state, i.e 'I wish it stopped raining in summers'... am I right?



Yep I think so...you can use "wish + simple past" to express a sort of  _fixed feature_ or _*state*_ and you should also use time indicators to convey the habituality of a situation. I mean a *typical* feature of a place,thing or a person.


If you know for instance that Scotland  is a typical rainy region (and it's a true fact) I think you can say :_ I wish it stopped raining in Edimburgh tomorrow because it always rains there and I'd like to have a picnic in the park with my friends


_Maybe I'm off track...wait for  other natives to chime in on this


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## Einstein

Enigmista said:


> Yep I think so...you can use "wish + simple past" to express a sort of  _fixed feature_ or _*state*_ and you should also use time indicators to convey the habituality of a situation. I mean a *typical* feature of a place,thing or a person.
> 
> If you know for instance that Scotland  is a typical rainy region (and it's a true fact) I think you can say :_ I wish it stopped raining in Edi*n*burgh tomorrow because it always rains there and I'd like to have a picnic in the park with my friends._


_
No, here you're wrong. And with reference to a precise future I don't think I'd use "wish" at all:
I hope it stops raining tomorrow.
I wish it would stop raining (now)._


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## Enigmista

Einstein and if we drop "tomorrow" ??


_I wish it stopped raining in Edinburgh  because it always  rains there and I'd like to have a picnic in the park with my friends_

Is it fine ??


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## Einstein

Enigmista said:


> Einstein and if we drop "tomorrow" ??
> 
> _I wish it stopped raining in Edinburgh because it always rains there and I'd like to have a picnic in the park with my friends_
> 
> Is it fine ??


No, I'd still use "would". I'd use the past tense only for a habitual action, as in your explanation above.
I wish the no. 64 bus stopped outside my house.


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## ALEX1981X

Hi Einstein

Isn't Enigmista's attempt an example of habitual action ??

Would you use "wish + simple/wish + would for habitual actions ??


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## Paulfromitaly

Clear, brief and simple:
http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/IF10.cfm



> The verb *to            wish* is followed by an 'unreal' past tense when we want to talk            about situations in the present that we are not happy about but cannot            change.
> 
> When            we want to talk about situations we are not happy about and where we            want *someone else* to change them, we use *to wish*            followed by *would + infinitive.*


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## ALEX1981X

I think that both "simple past" and "would" can express habituality after this structure with *wish*

So Paul, would you say that _*I wish it stopped raining*_ is correct ??

In my view:

If there's no chance for the rain to stop I think (_*I wish it stopped raining)*_ it's the right choice together with *I wish It didn't rain*

If it's likely and there's a possibility for the weather to become sunny I'd suggest:
_
I wish it would stop raining_


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## panjandrum

"I wish it stopped raining" would be fine in a context where it never stopped raining.

Just to be clear about the Google counts referred to earlier.
Using quotation marks around the text and checking through to the end of the examples listed:
... "I wish she stopped" - 49 examples, of which 
... "I wish it stopped" - 180 examples of which 105 are "I wish it stopped there"
I don't think that represents an overwhelming body of usage.


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## Thomas Tompion

Paulfromitaly said:


> Clear, brief and simple:
> http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/IF10.cfm


But not entirely accurate unfortunately:

I can say _I wish I wouldn't keep forgetting to turn off the electric fire_.  

Yes, I know the other form often seems more natural, but this is possible - _I wish I wouldn't_ scores 85 million Google hits: most of the first two pages are examples of poor English, but there must be some natives who say it among the 85 million.


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## ALEX1981X

Ok but what's the difference in meaning between:


_I wish I wouldn't keep forgetting to turn off the electric fire_.  

_I wish I didn't forget to turn off the electric fire_.  

???

They seem to be interchangeable to me...


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## panjandrum

"I wish I wouldn't" - more than the others, but still only 540.

I think it would be advisable not to use Google counts in support of usage arguments.  They are not reliable for such purposes.  For more on this point, see the several threads in the Comments and Suggestions forum.

_*Don't trust Google counts!!*_


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## Thomas Tompion

ALEX1981X said:


> Ok but what's the difference in meaning between:
> 
> 
> _I wish I wouldn't keep forgetting to turn off the electric fire_.
> 
> _I wish I didn't forget to turn off the electric fire_.
> 
> ???
> 
> They seem to be interchangeable to me...


This is what we've been discussing throughout the thread.

The true comparison is, I think, between_ I wish I wouldn't keep forgetting to turn off the electric fire_ and_ I wish I didn't keep forgetting to turn off the electric fire._

You see, Paul, I think there is a hint at a truth in that passage you quoted. _I wish I wouldn't keep forgetting to turn off the electric fire _almost seems to be treating the person who keeps forgetting as someone else, as an agency independent of myself. _I wish I didn't keep forgetting to turn off the electric fire _is what most people would say most of the time, I suspect. I'd never call them interchangeable; there are important differences of emphasis.


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## rrose17

> The verb *to wish* is followed by an 'unreal' past tense when we want to talk about situations in the present that we are not happy about but cannot change.
> 
> When we want to talk about situations we are not happy about and where we want *someone else* to change them, we use *to wish* followed by *would + infinitive*


Exactly. I would never say "I wish it stopped raining." To me this sounds sort of childish. I would say "I wish it would stop raining." But I would say "I wished you spoke better English." I think, though, and Einstein might agree, this is an example of the subjunctive.


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## Thomas Tompion

rrose17 said:


> Exactly. I would never say "I wished it stopped raining." To me this sounds sort of childish. I would say "I wish it would stop raining." But I would say "I wished you spoke better English." I think, though, and Einstein might agree, this is an example of the subjunctive.


 I'm not sure why the one is if the other isn't.


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## ALEX1981X

rrose17 said:


> Exactly. I would never say "I wished it stopped raining." To me this sounds sort of childish. I would say "I wish it would stop raining."  But I would say "I wished you spoke better English." I think, though, and Einstein might agree, this is an example of the subjunctive.



Rrose what I wrote was "I wish it stopped raining" not "wish_*ed*_"

Anyway, Can you tell me why it can be "childish" to your ears ?? 

Is there any grammar rule we should be aware of ??


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## rrose17

Sorry you're right I meant_ I wish it stopped raining_. To me it sounds like something a child might say because it sounds unsophisiticated.


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## ALEX1981X

rrose17 said:


> Sorry you're right I meant_ I wish it stopped raining_. To me it sounds like something a child might say because it sounds unsophisiticated.



Grammar books says exactly what is presented in Paul's link (Swan included)

We can use "_wish + simple past_"  to express something _*in the present*_ that we want to change but that is very unlikely or impossible.
It's an unreal present. 

I think there's no doubt about this

http://www.english4today.com/englishgrammar/grammar/if_conditional10.php

I agree with panjandrum's reasoning because he said:
_"I wish it stopped raining" would be fine in a context where it never stopped raining..._*(.but that could also be unlikely)*
But I don't understand what you mean with _" __unsophisiticated"
_
Do you natives all agree that the structure "Wish + *I* WOULD" is correct ??_ 


_


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## Paulfromitaly

Thomas Tompion said:


> I can say _I wish I wouldn't keep forgetting to turn off the electric fire_.
> 
> Yes, I know the other form often seems more natural, but this is possible - _I wish I wouldn't_ scores 85 million Google hits: most of the first two pages are examples of poor English, but there must be some natives who say it among the 85 million.


I've always been taught that "I wish I would" is wrong, as explained in "A PRACTICAL _ENGLISH GRAMMAR_. _THOMSON_ A.J. _MARTINET"

_


> _*wish + would *__ can express interest in the subject's willingness/unwillingness to perform an action in the present. This is usually a habitual action._
> _I _wish he would write more often _=_I'm sorry he isn't willing to write more often.
> I wish he would wear a coat = I'm sorry he refuses to wear a coat.
> _The subject of __*wish *__cannot be the same as the subject of __*would, *__as this would be illogical. We cannot therefore have __*I wish + I would.*_
> _wish + subject + __*would *__can also be used to express dissatisfaction with the present and a wish for change in the future:_
> _I _wish he would answer my letter. _(I have been waiting for an_ _answer for a long time.)_
> I wish they would change the menu. _(I'm tired of eating sausages.)_
> _I _wish they would stop making bombs.


Said that, I don't know if "I wish I would" may be sort of okay in an informal context or something the man in the street might say


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## Thomas Tompion

Paulfromitaly said:


> I've always been taught that "I wish I would" is wrong, as explained in "A PRACTICAL _ENGLISH GRAMMAR_. _THOMSON_ A.J. _MARTINET"_
> 
> Said that, I don't know if "I wish I would" may be sort of okay in an informal context or something the man in the street might say


 Quite a few people have now told you that it is something that people say.


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## ALEX1981X

Thomas,out of curiosity,  in your opinion are these two correct ??

_I wish It would rain tomorrow_ 

_I wish it rained now_


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## Thomas Tompion

ALEX1981X said:


> Thomas,out of curiosity, in your opinion are these two correct ??
> 
> _I wish It would rain tomorrow_
> 
> _I wish it rained now_


 I'm terribly reluctant to say that things like this, which are perfectly grammatical, are incorrect.

I can see nothing against_ I wish it would rain tomorrow_ - has anyone suggested it's incorrect?

_I wish it rained_ is wishing for a regular action, and _now_ means at this moment.  It's hard to see how _at this moment_ can qualify a repeated action.  But, of course, _I wish it rained now every afternoon_ doesn't seem to me out of the question.


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## ALEX1981X

Thanks Thomas

But frankly I don't understand a thing :

Is it compulsory that the structure "wish + simple past" like in my example (wish + rained) must express a "regular action" ?

In fact you wrote : _"I wish it rained is wishing for a regular action"_

I've been taught that this structure can be also used for habitual actions but _not_ "exclusively ".
In my example I want to describe a present event that I want to change but which is very unlikely or even impossible to change.Not a regular action

I've never seen this grammar rule before...neither in grammar  books nor surfing in language forums like WR for example...so I'm a  little confused since I'm an Italian learner

Please can you tell me where can I find this rule ??


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## panjandrum

_<< Moderator note:





Thomas Tompion said:



			...
But, of course, I wish it rained now every afternoon doesn't seem to me out of the question.
		
Click to expand...

Please do not introduce strange sentences without providing a robust context in which it would be realistic and natural.
There is already a great deal of unrealistic and unhelpful speculation in this thread.
panjandrum >>_


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## owlman5

Hello, Alex.  I think Panjandrum's opinion sounds pretty good in this thread.  I too would expect to hear "I wish it stopped raining" in some part of the world where it rained very frequently, as it does in Central America during the rainy season.  This would mean that I wished that it no longer rained there at all.

"I wish it would stop raining" would sound better if you were referring to one rain shower.


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## ALEX1981X

Thanks Owlman...As a matter of fact I agree with you and Panjandrum to use ""I wish it stopped raining" in a "particular" context or situation...It's very logical 

But do you think I can be wrong if I say that a person that uses "wish + simple past" can wish about *whatever* he wants or imagine, and that not necessarily must be a repeated/regular action ??
As I said, nobody have never showed me a rule about this point

What Do you reckon ??


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## owlman5

I'd say that sounds reasonable, Alex.  However, it's wise to remember that people's speech is greatly influenced by custom.  It's certainly customary for most of us native speakers to use "would" in these "wish" statements.  Breaking that custom sounds unusual to many and perhaps annoying to some.


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## ALEX1981X

I agree It sounds reasonable...I wanted to know if It was a matter of "customs" or a grammar mistake...and I'm happy to realize it's not a  mistake
There's a big difference in my view...also because  a learner doesn't understand these nuances immediately

You've helped me a lot Owlman


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## Thomas Tompion

I feel it's also wise to learn how people mostly use words, rather than trying absolutely to  exclude formulae. 

If natives say that it's odd, then I'd avoid it, but don't conclude that this means it's wrong to say it.

_I wish you would stop_ is often used both for habits, and for the immediate occasion - _I wish you would stop now_.

_I wish you stopped_ is often used for habits, and not so often for the individual occasion. 

They each carry with them particular registers too - _I wish you would stop_ can sound begging or irritated and reproachful, etc.


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## Forero

ALEX1981X said:


> Thanks Thomas
> 
> But frankly I don't understand a thing :
> 
> Is it compulsory that the structure "wish + simple past" like in my example (wish + rained) must express a "regular action" ?


I don't mean to speak for Thomas, but I think I agree with him.

I don't believe "regular action" is compulsory, but perhaps I understand the term differently.





> In fact you wrote : _"I wish it rained is wishing for a regular action"_
> 
> I've been taught that this structure can be also used for habitual actions but _not_ "exclusively ".


I think I agree with what you have been taught, but I would need to see your sources and examples to know for sure.

As I see it, simple past after "I wish" corresponds to simple present, which has multiple uses. Since we can say "It rains", it is fine to say "I wish it rained"; since we can say "It stops raining", it is fine to say "I wish it stopped raining"; since we can say "It rains now every afternoon", it is fine to say "I wish it rained now every afternoon".





> In my example I want to describe a present event that I want to change but which is very unlikely or even impossible to change.Not a regular action
> 
> I've never seen this grammar rule before...neither in grammar books nor surfing in language forums like WR for example...so I'm a little confused since I'm an Italian learner
> 
> Please can you tell me where can I find this rule ??


It is easy for us natives to jump at something like "I wish it rained now" and call it wrong. The reason for this, I think, is that "It rains now" is an unusual sentence without context, and an unusual use of present tense becomes an even more unusual past subjunctive after "I wish":

_It rains now._ [unusual]
_I wish it rained now._ [even more unusual]

But these sentence are grammatical, as a little context, like Thomas's "every afternoon", makes evident to me. Here is another example of context:

_I have heard it does not rain on Mars now, though perhaps it did in the distant past. Still, I wish it did._
_I wish it rained on Mars now._ [I would not use _would_ in this context.]

Is this about a habitual or regular action? Well, it regularly refuses to rain on Mars, but one little sprinkle of rain is enough to fulfill my wish. In this case, I would say my wish is for eliminating a regular non-occurrence. (I hope that is understandable.)


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## Thomas Tompion

Thanks Forero,

This was very helpful.  I hadn't actually seen Alex's call for help, but you've answered it very clearly and well, in my view.  I'm delighted to have you speaking for me.

Let us know, Alex, if things are still not clear to you.


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## panjandrum

Thomas Tompion said:


> ...
> _I wish you stopped_ is often used for habits, and not so often for the individual occasion.
> ...


Is it really?
Would you recommend it?


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## Thomas Tompion

panjandrum said:


> Is it really?
> Would you recommend it?


 Yes, to both.

_I wish you stopped interrupting us_.  I could also say_ I wish you would stop interrupting us_, but that would sound softer, and there are times when someone wants to sound abrupt.


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## panjandrum

Thomas Tompion said:


> Yes, to both.
> 
> _I wish you stopped interrupting us_.  I could also say_ I wish you would stop interrupting us_, but that would sound softer, and there are times when someone wants to sound abrupt.


You surprise me.
I don't find any reliable precedent for this construction.
There are no instances in the British National Corpus.
I found no examples I would wish to quote as precedent in a Google Books search.


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## Thomas Tompion

panjandrum said:


> You surprise me.
> I don't find any reliable precedent for this construction.
> There are no instances in the British National Corpus.
> I found no examples I would wish to quote as precedent in a Google Books search.


The BNC has *ACE** 1815* ‘I wish you didn't baffle me so, Charity.’

The other construction's negative would be 'I wish you wouldn't baffle me so.'

Google Books has page 74 of Middlemarch: 'I wish you saw it as I do'.

Wouldn't you be happy with_ I wish you came to see us more often_ or_ I wish you fought more energetically for your rights_?

I'm wondering if there is something in the nature of_ stopping_ which makes it seem odd in the construction, something which makes it hard to imagine as a continuous activity.


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## ALEX1981X

Last Thomas' examples allow me to think that both the construction can be used but with a difference in _*emphasis.*_
I think the main difference is that

But maybe the problem is with the verb "to stop" in this thread

Frankly I don't understand why :

_I wish it didn't rain_ is correct and _I wish It stopped raining_ would be "odd" since we're dealing with "wish + simple past" in both cases

To sum up let's put it this way guys...let's keep it simple 

Please tell me _when_ to use "wish + simple past" construction and when to use "wish + would"

Any English grammar reference is highly appreciated


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## Albionneur

I really like the idea of using "wish + simple past" to imply something encompassing a longer period of time and "wish + would" to imply something happening at the moment or for a short period of time.

_I wish it would rain._ (now)
_I wish it rained. (more often in this neck of the woods)

_This is something I've discovered thanks to thread. This is why I love being here.

Concerning the previous post, again the usage has to do with the duration of the action:

_I wish it didn't rain._ (so often in England)
_I wish it stopped raining._ (so often in England, let there be more sunshine throughout the year)
_I wish it would stop raining._ (right now) 
_I wish it hadn't rained._ (yesterday during the game)


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## Thomas Tompion

I'm happy with all these, Albionneur, except for _I wish it stopped raining right now_.  I think most people would prefer _I wish it would stop raining right now_.


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## ALEX1981X

Thomas suppose I want a friend of mine to come with me to a party for instance...but I know it's not possible

_I wish you came with me right now_

In this case it's not a habit

Is it acceptable?

Do you agree with this scheme ?  http://www.studypage.net/l_index.php?id=52


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## Thomas Tompion

I'd say _I wish you'd come with me right now_.

Your link is so full of details, Alex, that I hope you'll forgive me for sticking to the main point of the thread.


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## zipp404

ALEX1981X said:


> Thomas suppose I want a friend of mine to come with me to a party for instance...but I know it's not possible
> 
> _I wish you came with me right now_
> 
> In this case it's not a habit
> 
> Is it acceptable?
> 
> Do you agree with this scheme ?  http://www.studypage.net/l_index.php?id=52



The sentence _I wish you came with me right now_ is not correct.

The correct formulation is:  I wish you _would _come (to the museum) with me right now (or: I wish you'd come with me right now).

Or, alternatively you could also say:  I wish you _could _come (to the museum) with me right now.


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## Albionneur

We could probably say _I wish you came with me,_ meaning _coming_ in general:

_I go to the gym every day. I wish you came with me_ (whenever you can, often, always).


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## ALEX1981X

Thomas Tompion said:


> I'd say _I wish you'd come with me right now_.
> 
> Your link is so full of details, Alex, that I hope you'll forgive me for sticking to the main point of the thread.



Does that link I posted provide a good overall explanation in your view?

 I'll surely forgive you my friend...It's clear now 



Thanks Zipp for confirming


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## Albionneur

Thomas Tompion said:


> I'm happy with all these, Albionneur, except for _I wish it stopped raining right now_.  I think most people would prefer _I wish it would stop raining right now_.



I didn't say that either, did I?


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## Thomas Tompion

Albionneur said:


> I didn't say that either, did I?


 The post doesn't say it now, so we seem to agree.


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## Paulfromitaly

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this

I wish it <would stop/ stopped> raining.


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