If Only I Had Known

If Only I Had Known If Only I Had Known If Only I Had Known By Maeve Maddox Have you ever noticed how many websites offer lists of things their authors wish they had done differently in the past? The Workplace Tips I Wish Id Known From the Start Things I Wish Id Known Before We Got Married 67 Things I Wish I Had Known At 18 What I Wish Id Known Before Starting My Business Unfortunately, not all the bloggers who express their regrets and offer the fruit of their experience do it grammatically. For every one who writes, â€Å"I wish I had known,† another five write, â€Å"I wish I would have known† Oh, the things I wish I would have known then that I know now 30 things I wish I would have known about life Things I wish I would have known when I got started in software development Would does not belong in the subordinate clause of the lament. The verb wish is followed by the past perfect: I wish I had known then what I know now. A similar error occurs with the use of â€Å"if† clauses. If I Would Have Known Then What I Know Now- 29 Business Owners Speak Out Again, the would is unnecessary: If I Had Known Then What I Know Now. Because hindsight is universal, we all need to know how to wish things hadn’t happened, so while we’re at it, we may as well look at how to make wishes about the present and future. Use past tense to wish regarding the present: I don’t like this neighborhood. I wish I lived in Bellaire. My car is a wreck. I wish I had the money to buy a new one. My husband works all the time. I wish he were not so busy. Note: If I were is the older way of expressing a wish in the subjunctive mood. Like the use of whom, the subjunctive in English is dying out. I think most authorities see the take-over of if I was as inevitable, but some still feel it should not be used in formal written English. Use past tense modals would and could to wish regarding the future: I don’t like this neighborhood. I wish I could move to Bellaire. My car is a wreck. I wish I could buy a new one. My husband works all the time. I wish he would quit that job. And, as already mentioned, to wish the past had been different, use the past perfect: I wish I had majored in computer engineering instead of literature. Jack wishes he hadn’t run with a bad crowd in high school. We all wish we hadn’t eaten so much at the picnic. Happy wishing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:English Grammar 101: All You Need to KnowEnglish Grammar 101: Verb MoodNarrative, Plot, and Story