Unit 1 — “Ill Gotten Gains Never Prosper” › Language form
Expressing wishes and desire: wish, it’s high time, it’s about time
- التعبير عن الندم بـ wish: على الحاضر (wish + past simple)، وعلى الماضي (wish + past perfect)
- التعبير عن الرغبة في تغيير قريب بـ wish + would، واستعمال could حين يكون التمنّي عن النفس
- التعبير عن نفاد الصبر من أمر تأخّر بـ it's high time · it's about time متبوعة بالماضي البسيط
- التمييز بين it's time to do للوقت المناسب، و it's time someone did لأمر تأخّر
- الماضي البسيط والماضي التامّ (past simple · past perfect)
- جملة الشرط من النوع الثاني (if I were … , I would …)
- الفعل الناقص should في الماضي (should have + past participle)
1. I wish: regret about the present and the past
We use wish + past simple to express a regret about a present situation, by imagining its opposite. The past simple refers to the present: « I wish I had a car. » (but I haven't got one) · « I wish I could play the flute. » (but I can't) As in the if-conditional (type 2), were is often used instead of was with I, he, she and it, especially in formal English: « I wish he were with me now. » Was can be used in informal spoken English. We use wish + past perfect to express a regret about something in the past: « I wish I had listened to your advice yesterday. » (but I didn't) If only can replace wish, to express a stronger regret or a stronger wish: « If only I had listened to my mother's advice! »
Bishi: When friends of mine and I read that report, we realized that the least corrupt countries are those which have associations like our own. So I said to myself it's high time we organised ourselves into an association to fight corruption. […] Radio host: Any other idea to close this interview? Bishi: Well, I wish our fellow citizens had heard our call to fight corruption earlier than now. I wish the present anti-corruption laws were tougher. And above all I wish our government would pass a law giving citizens the right to know how public funds are spent, and the sooner the better!
Task 1 — « I wish our fellow citizens had heard our call earlier than now. » « I wish the present anti-corruption laws were tougher. » Both express regret. What tense follows I wish in each? Which one is a regret about the present, and which one about the past?Task 1 — « I wish our fellow citizens had heard our call earlier than now. » « I wish the present anti-corruption laws were tougher. » Both express regret. What tense follows I wish in each? Which one is a regret about the present, and which one about the past?ما الزمن الذي يلي I wish في كلّ جملة؟ وأيّهما ندم على الحاضر، وأيّهما ندم على الماضي؟
- had heard — past perfect: a regret about the past. His fellow citizens did not hear the call earlier.
- were — past simple: a regret about the present. The laws are not tough enough now.
The tense after wish tells you the time of the regret — not the time of the sentence. Both regrets are felt now.
2. I wish … would: a desire for change
We use wish + would to express a desire for change in the near future, especially when someone or something is annoying us. It can sound like a mild command: « I wish you would stop talking. » · « I wish you wouldn't wear that ugly shirt. » A wish about ourselves cannot be expressed with would: we must use could instead. « I wish I could lose weight. » — never ✗ « I wish I would lose weight ».
Task 2 — « I wish our government would pass a law giving the citizens the right to know how public funds are spent, and the sooner the better. » Does this sentence express regret or desire? What is its time reference?Task 2 — « I wish our government would pass a law giving the citizens the right to know how public funds are spent, and the sooner the better. » Does this sentence express regret or desire? What is its time reference?هل تعبّر هذه الجملة عن ندم أم عن رغبة؟ وإلى أيّ زمن تشير؟
Desire — a desire for change: wish + would. Its time reference is the near future: « and the sooner the better » says that he wants it soon.
| After wish | Time and meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| past simple | a regret about the present | I wish the present anti-corruption laws were tougher. |
| past perfect | a regret about the past | I wish our fellow citizens had heard our call earlier. |
| would + verb | a desire for change in the near future | I wish our government would pass a law … |
| could + verb | a wish about ourselves | I wish I could lose weight. |
A. Someone regretting having stolen public funds. B. Someone wishing himself home and not in prison. (Use the auxiliary be.) C. Someone wishing himself out of the affair. (Use the auxiliary be.) D. Someone expressing the wish (to the judge) to be given a second chance. E. Someone expressing the wish of being capable of eradicating nepotism. F. Someone expressing the wish to live in a corruption-free society someday.
Task 3 — the answers, and the time of each wishTask 3 — the answers, and the time of each wishالإجابات : اسأل كلّ مرّة عن زمن التمنّي، ثمّ اختر الصيغة.
- A. I wish I hadn't stolen public funds. — a regret about the past: past perfect.
- B. I wish I were at home, and not in prison. — a regret about the present: were (was in informal speech).
- C. I wish I were out of this affair. — the present again.
- D. I wish you would give me a second chance. — a desire for change, addressed to the judge: would. (Also possible: I wish I could be given a second chance.)
- E. I wish I could eradicate nepotism. — a wish about myself: could, never would.
- F. I wish I could live in a corruption-free society someday. — a wish about myself, for the future: could.
3. It's time, it's high time, it's about time
When you say It's time (for someone) to do something, you simply mean that this is the right time to do it: « It's time for us to go to the station. » But when you say It's time someone did something, you are thinking that the action should have been done earlier: you are complaining about the delay. The verb is in the past simple, yet the time is the present: « We think it's time the government did something about corruption. » To make the complaint or the criticism stronger, you say It's high time — or It's about time — someone did something: « It's high time Hassiba did some work for her final exam. » As after I wish, were is used after it's time: « It's time you children were in bed. » (you are not in bed yet)
Task 4 — « It's high time we organised ourselves into an anti-corruption association. » « It's about time we fought this pollution. » Both give advice about what to do although it is already a little late. Rewrite them using should in the past. Start like this: We should have …Task 4 — « It's high time we organised ourselves into an anti-corruption association. » « It's about time we fought this pollution. » Both give advice about what to do although it is already a little late. Rewrite them using should in the past. Start like this: We should have …أعد كتابة الجملتين بـ should have متبوعة بالتصريف الثالث للفعل.
- We should have organised ourselves into an anti-corruption association.
- We should have fought this pollution.
Same idea, two ways: it's high time + past simple complains that the action is late; should have + past participle says that it ought to have been done before.
A. You think that the government should take measures to stop tax evasion. B. You think that something should be done to eradicate the 'underground' economy in our country. C. You feel strongly that speculators of all sorts should be jailed. D. You think that public authorities should make anti-smuggling laws more stringent.
Task 5 — the answersTask 5 — the answersالإجابات : بعد it's high time فعل في الماضي البسيط، ولو كان في المبني للمجهول.
- A. It's high time the government took measures to stop tax evasion.
- B. It's about time something was done to eradicate the 'underground' economy in our country.
- C. It's high time speculators of all sorts were jailed.
- D. It's about time public authorities made anti-smuggling laws more stringent.
After it's time + a subject (it's time someone did), the verb is in the past simple — in the passive too (was done, were jailed) — and yet it speaks about now.
A model answerA model answer
I wish our school library were bigger. I wish I had started revising for the bac earlier. I wish the town hall would repair the road to our school. It's high time our town had a sports hall for young people.
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