English Grammar: Wish, It's Time & Sentence Rephrasing

Using 'Wish' in English

• Present Wishes: Use 'wish' + Past Simple to talk about present situations you'd like to be different.
• Using 'Could' with 'Wish': Use 'wish' + 'could' to express desire for a different ability or possibility in the present.
• Past Regrets: Use 'wish' + Past Perfect (had + participle) to talk about things you regret from the past.
• Complaints/Annoyance (Present): Use 'wish' / 'if only' + subject + 'would' + infinitive (not 'I' or 'we') to complain about a present situation or someone's behaviour.
• Future Wishes: Use 'wish' / 'if only' + subject + 'would' + infinitive (often about changing someone's behavior or a future event).
• Expressing Regret: Use 'regret' + -ing form for past actions you wish you hadn't done.

It's Time & Would Rather

It's Time

• Use 'It's time' + subject + Past Simple to say something should be done now or soon.
• Use 'It's time' + infinitive (with 'to') for general statements or when the implied subject is 'I' or 'we'.

Would Rather

• Use 'I'd rather' + subject + Past Simple for preferences about other people's actions (present or future).
• Use 'I'd rather' + infinitive (without 'to') for preferences about your own actions.

Sentence Transformation Practice

• Original: Is it necessary for you to get such an early train?
  Keyword: HAVE
  Corrected: Do you have to take such an early train?
• Original: I wanted to finish the work, but there was too much to do.
  Keyword: IT
  Corrected: There was so much work that I couldn’t finish it.
• Original: It was pointless cleaning the kitchen for Mum because she did it all again when she came home.
  Keyword: HAVE
  Corrected: I needn’t have cleaned the kitchen...
• Original: It's possible that James forgot to send the email.
  Keyword: FORGOTTEN
  Corrected: James may have forgotten to send the email.
• Original: I had time to go to the cinema with Helen, but I just didn’t feel like it.
  Keyword: GONE
  Corrected: I could have gone to the cinema...
• Original: Sharon moved schools because some kids were bullying her.
  Keyword: WAS
  Corrected: Sharon moved schools because she was being bullied by some kids.
• Original: The teacher gave us a book to read over the holidays.
  Keyword: WERE
  Corrected: We were given a book to read…
• Original: The teacher let us have our lesson outside yesterday.
  Keyword: TO
  Corrected: We were allowed to have our lesson…
• Original: Jack will play the role of the king in our performance.
  Keyword: BE
  Corrected: The role of the king will be played by Jack in...
• Original: "I haven’t seen the new tablet computer yet," said Mary.
  Keyword: SHE
  Corrected: Mary said that she hadn’t seen the new…
• Original: "Can I have some help?"
  Keyword: IF
  Corrected: Mary asked me if she could have some help.
• Original: "Jon, where will you be studying next September?"
  Keyword: HE
  Corrected: Mary asked Jon where he would be studying the following September.
• Original: "Why must you leave so early, Mia?"
  Keyword: HAD
  Corrected: Mary asked Mia why she had to leave so early.
• Original: "I don’t back up my computer very often."
  Keyword: SHE
  Corrected: Mary said that she didn’t back up her computer…
• Original: "I’m trying to fix my computer."
  Keyword: HE
  Corrected: Max said that he was trying to fix his computer.