Wish Clauses

I wish+ past tense: It is used to talk about imaginary situations both in the present and in the future, which are impossible to change in the real world.

• I am a woman and I wish I didn’t have a moustache/ I wish I were rich/I wish I were/was slim.
• (It is raining)I wish I had an umbrella.
• I wish tomorrow were/was Saturday (Ojalá que mañana fuera sábado)

I wish+ subject (except I)+would: It is used to talk about REAL situations which usually annoy you, and that could be changed in the real world.

• I wish he would shave. (I don’t like my husband with the beard)
• I wish you would stop watching TV while I am talking to you(=why don’t you stop watching television while I’m talking to you. It’s annoying)

Compare:

I wish he would come(I want him to come)ACTION

I wish he were/was here with us now (SITUATION) (not * I wish he would be…)

I wish somebody would buy me an apartment by the beach. ACTION

I wish I had an apartment by the beach. SITUATION

Practice:

http://www.better-english.com/grammar/wishes.htm

https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/wish-exercise-1.html

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/wish-and-if-only