Wish / if only

A therapist session

Open Ended

• What do people talk about in therapy?

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• Do you think therapy can help? Why/why not?​

• How do you think it might help?​

At the Therapist

Open Ended

• What things might people want to change about their lives or personalities?

I suppose my life is fine in general. I would only change a few things: I sometimes wish I was more sociable, I can be very shy in social situations. I was in a theatre group when I was a kid, if only I had continued doing theatre, maybe I would be more confident now.​

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If only I didn’t have to work so much, then I could go back to university and study something else. I wish I hadn’t studied marketing, my job is so dull!​

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I guess my relationship with my boyfriend is ok. Occasionally I wish that he would listen to me a bit more, sometimes it’s like talking to a brick wall. I wish he wouldn’t spend so much time with his mates from football, they’re a bad influence. 

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Natalia’s Trip to the Therapist

​Look at the underlines sentences, do they refer to:​

1. A wish about the present​

2. A wish about the past​

3. A wish about another person’s bad habits

Open Ended

What problems does Natalia have?

Look at the examples from the text, how do we construct the sentences?

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Present wishes:​

• I sometimes wish I was more sociable.​

• If only I didn’t have to work so much.

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Past wishes:​

• If only I had continued doing theatre.​

• I wish I hadn’t studied marketing.

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Wishes about other people’s bad habits:​

• I wish that he would listen to me a bit more​

• I wish he wouldn’t spend so much time with his mates

  from football

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Language Analysis

​I wish/if only + past simple

I wish/if only + past perfect (had/hadn’t + past participle)

I wish/if only + would/wouldn’t + verb in present

Multiple Choice

1. I wish I __________(be) rich.​

• was

• where

• am

• will be

Multiple Choice

If only I __________ (have) green eyes.

• Have

• has

• haven't

• had

Multiple Choice

1. I wish I __________ (study) more for the exam yesterday.​

• Have studied

• has studied

• Had Studied

• hasn't studied

Multiple Choice

If only my brother __________ (annoy) me so much.

• Annoys

• Wouldn't annoy

• annoying

• couldn't annoyed

Multiple Choice

If only my teacher ____________ (give) me so much homework.

• could give

• gave

• wouldn't give

• give

Multiple Choice

I wish I ____________ (not eat) so much last night.

• didn't eat

• ate

• don't eat

• hadn't eaten