English Grammar

Present Simple
4 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Present Simple – Form
Present Simple for Opinions, Facts and Permanent Situations
Present Simple for Regular Activities, Routines and Habits
Present Simple for Talking about Films and Books
Present Simple Practice: Negative Sentences and Questions
Present Simple Practice: Fill in the Gaps
Present Simple Practice: Positive, Negative, Questions
Present Continuous
5 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Present Continuous – Describing Pictures
Present Continuous – Trends and Changes
Present Continuous – Actions Happening now and around now
Present Continuous – Form
Spelling of -ing Verb Forms
Present Continuous Practice – Fill in the Gaps
Present Continuous Practice – Questions and Negatives
Present Continuous Practice – Positive Statements
Present Simple and Present Continuous
4 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Basic Differences in Use
Action Verbs
State Verbs
State Verbs in the Continuous Form
Present Simple or Present Continuous – Matching
Present Simple or Present Continuous – Choose the Correct Tense
Present Simple or Present Continuous – Complete the Text
Past Simple
6 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Regular and Irregular Verbs
Past Simple: Positive Sentences
Past Simple: Negative Sentences
Regular Verbs: Spelling Rules
Past Simple: To Be
Past Simple: Questions
Past Simple: Positive Sentences
Past Simple: Negative Sentences
Past Simple: Questions
Past Habits and States
3 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Used to: States and Repeated Situations
Would: Repeated Situations
Past Simple: Comparison with “would” and “used to”
“Would,” “Used To,” and Past Simple – Choose the Correct Structure
“Used To” – Practice the Form
“Would” – Practice the Form
Past Continuous
3 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Past Continuous: Positive Sentences
Past Continuous: Negative Sentences
Past Continuous: Questions
Put the Words in the Correct Order
Choose the Correct Verb Forms
Complete the Sentences
Past Simple and Past Continuous
1 Topic | 2 Quizzes
Past Simple and Past Continuous in Contrast
Past Simple and Past Continuous: Choose the Correct Verb Forms
Past Simple and Past Continuous: Fill in the Gaps
Present Perfect Simple
2 Topics | 5 Quizzes
Present Perfect Simple – Use
Present Perfect Simple – Form
Present Perfect Simple and Past Simple Quiz – Choose the Correct Answer
Present Perfect Simple – Fill in the Gaps I
Present Perfect Simple – Fill in the Gaps II
Present Perfect or Past Simple?
Present Perfect Simple – Complete the Sentences with the Right Adverb
Present Perfect Continuous
2 Topics | 2 Quizzes
Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous?
Present Perfect Continuous – Form
Present Perfect Continuous – Form
Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous?
Past Perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous
3 Topics | 4 Quizzes
When to Use the Past Perfect?
Past Perfect Simple
Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Simple – Practice the Form
Past Perfect Continuous – Practice the Form
Past Simple, Past Perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous in Contrast
Past Simple, Past Perfect Simple, Past Perfect Continuous: Fill in the Gaps
Future Simple
2 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Future Simple – Meaning
Future Simple – Form
Future Simple – Fill In the Gaps
Future Simple – Negative Forms
Future Simple – Questions
Be Going To
2 Topics | 2 Quizzes
To Be Going To – Meaning
Be Going To – Form
Be Going To – Practice the Form
Be Going To – Type in the Correct Form
Present Simple and Present Continuous for the Future
1 Topic | 1 Quiz
Using Present Simple and Present Continuous to Talk about the Future
Present Simple and Present Continuous for the Future – Practice
Future Continuous
2 Topics | 2 Quizzes
Future Continuous: Use
Future Continuous: Form
Future Continuous: Questions
Future Continuous: Practice the Form
Future Perfect
4 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Future Perfect Simple – Rules
Future Perfect Simple – Form
Future Perfect Continuous – Rules
Future Perfect Continuous – Form
Future Perfect Simple Practice
Future Perfect Continuous Practice
Future Perfect Simple or Future Perfect Continuous?
Adjectives and Adverbs
4 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Adjectives
Adverbs
Quiz 1: Adjectives and Adverbs – Fill in the Gaps / Word Formation
Adjectives and Adverbs: the Order of Adjectives
Quiz 2: The Order of Adjectives – Multiple Choice
Adjectives and Adverbs: the Order of Adverbs
Quiz 3: Adjectives and Adverbs – Ordering
Comparatives and Superlatives
1 Topic | 2 Quizzes
Comparatives and Superlatives – Introduction
Comparatives and Superlatives – Single Choice
Comparatives and Superlatives – Fill in the Gaps
Question Tags
2 Topics | 2 Quizzes
Question tags – Structure
Question tags – Usage
Question Tags – Choose the Correct Answer
Question Tags – Fill in the Gaps
Articles
3 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Types of Articles – an Overview
Articles before Proper (Geographical) Names
Articles in Phrases and Idiomatic Expressions
Articles: Choose the Right Article
Articles: Fill in the Gaps
Articles: Find the Mistakes
Verb Patterns
6 Topics | 3 Quizzes
Verb Patterns – Introduction
Verb Patterns – Gerunds
Verb Patterns – Infinitives (with “to”)
Verb Patterns – Infinitives (without “to”)
Verb Patterns – Changes in Meaning
Verb Patterns – Additional Explanations
Verb Patterns – Single Choice
Verb Patterns – Matching
Verb Patterns – Fill in the Gaps
Passive Voice
3 Topics | 4 Quizzes
Passive voice – Usage
Passive voice – Structure: Present Simple, Past Simple, PresentContinuous, Past Continuous
Passive Voice – Structure: Perfect and Future Tenses, Modal Verbs
Decide if the Sentences are in the Active or Passive
Passive Voice: Practice the Form – Lower Level
Passive Voice: Practice the Form – Higher Level
Passive Voice: Practice the Form – Compilation
Causative Have
3 Topics | 4 Quizzes
Causative Have – Usage
Causative Have – Structure
Causative Have – Examples in Different Forms
Causative Have Practice 1: Fill in the blank
Causative Have Practice 2: Sorting Choice
Causative Have Practice 3: Single Choice
Causative Have Practice 4: Single Choice
Reported Speech
4 Topics | 4 Quizzes
Reported speech – Usage
Reported Speech – Basic Structural Rules
Reported Speech – Tense Change Rules
Reported Speech – Question Formation
Reported Speech – Single Choice 1
Reported Speech – Single Choice 2
Reported Speech – Fill in the Blanks
Reported Speech – Sorting Choice
Impersonal Passive
3 Topics | 4 Quizzes
Impersonal Passive – Usage
Impersonal Passive – Structure with That-Clauses
Impersonal Passive – Structure with Infinitives
Task 1 – Single Choice
Task 2 – Matching
Task 3 – Fill in the Blanks
Task 4 – Sorting Choice
Zero Conditional
1 Topic | 1 Quiz
The Zero Conditional – Form and Use
The Zero Conditional – Practice the Form
First Conditional
1 Topic | 2 Quizzes
The First Conditional – Form and Use
The First Conditional – Statements
The First Conditional – Questions
Second Conditional
1 Topic | 2 Quizzes
The Second Conditional – Form and Use
The Second Conditional – Practice The Form
Zero, First and Second Conditionals – Quiz
Third Conditional
1 Topic | 3 Quizzes
The Third Conditional – Form and Use
The First, Second and Third Conditional – Choose the Correct Sentence
The Third Conditional – Practice the Form
The Third and the Second Conditionals in Contrast
Mixed Conditionals
1 Topic | 2 Quizzes
Mixed Conditionals – Form and Use
Mixed Conditionals – Fill in the Gaps
Mixed Conditionals – Fill in the Gaps
Wishful Thinking
1 Topic | 4 Quizzes
Wishful Thinking – Introduction
I Wish / If Only – Matching
I Wish / If Only – Multiple Choice
I Wish / If Only – Sorting in Order
I Wish / If Only – A Story
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Wishful Thinking – Introduction

English Grammar Wishful Thinking Wishful Thinking – Introduction

“I wish” and “If only” are commonly used to express regret about the past, dissatisfaction with the present as well as a present or future desire for something that is not possible or unlikely to happen. Statements with “If only” are often perceived as stronger than those with “I wish”.

  1. To express wishes for the present or future which are impossible or unlikely to happen, we use I wish / If only + PAST SIMPLE or PAST CONTINUOUS. 

In wishful thinking, just as in conditional sentences, we tend to use “were” instead of “was”, especially in more formal situations. However, using “was” is not considered a mistake, e.g.: I wish I was/were able to recall the name of that supplier. 

Here are more examples:

  • I wish I had less responsibilities on my plate. I am overwhelmed with my workload. 
  • These seats are extremely uncomfortable. I wish we were travelling business class.
  • Lotta wishes she were more experienced. With only two years of work experience, she has little chance of promotion. 
  • If only we could continue working remotely. I am not a big fan of the hybrid workplace model. 
  • I’ve just been tasked with a report due tomorrow. If only I had more time to prepare it. 
  1. We can also use I wish / If only with a modal verb would followed by a bare infinitive (basic form of a verb) to express a wish for the future, emphasising the contrast between how things are and how we would like them to be. This form is often used to show our annoyance with a particular situation or behaviour and our wish for it to change, e.g.
  • The noise of the printer gives me a headache. I wish it would stop. 
  • If only you would listen to my advice. I feel like talking to a brick wall. 
  • If only they would talk to each other and resolve the conflict amicably. 
  1. To express our regret about something that happened or did not happen in the past, we use I wish / If only + PAST PERFECT SIMPLE or CONTINUOUS. 
  • I wish I had studied business in college.
  • They wish they hadn’t invested so much money in that startup.
  • Sam wishes he had been paying more attention during the company tour on his first day of work. 
  • If only I had listened to my colleague’s advice.
  • If only we hadn’t neglected that safety protocol. 
  • If only it hadn’t been raining all the time, we would have had a chance to sightsee Paris while on a business trip. 
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