Ambiguity
Wish and hope. I was taught that I should always use [To wish] with the past tense and [To hope] with the future. Is this always the case? Examples: I wish I could go to the US to learn from native speakers. vs. I hope I'll be able to find true love. What about: I wish my dreams will come true.
Nov 28, 2015 9:39 AM
Answers · 5
1
These two verbs can be used with any of the tenses. - I hope (present tense) it is true. - I hoped (past tense) it was true. - I will hope (future tense) it is true. - I have hoped (present prefect) for several years that it was true. etc. I wish I could go to the US to learn from native speakers. CORRECT I hope I'll be able to find true love. CORRECT I wish my dreams will come true. [Usually used with 'hope', not 'wish] I hope my dreams will come true / I hope my dreams come true.
November 28, 2015
I wish I could go to the US to learn from native speakers > You should use' wish' when the possibility of you going is close to none or uncertain . 'Could' is used here not to indicate ' a past tense ' usage , but to indicate that it will not happened or being uncertain. I wish I could be like him/I wish I could swim( for a non-swimmer)/I wish I had more time ( you didn't have)/I wish there were more ( not possible ).I wish you were here ( not possible) I hope to study I can study in the US> hope indicate a possibility of happening ,and you want it to happen in the future . Can indicates the possibility . I hope I'll be able to find true love> You want this to happen, and its possible / you can have the ability to find.. I wish I could find true love> You didn't and you know its not quite possible . For expression fo goodwill or greetings , we used only ' wish" . > I wish you well / I wish you a "Merry Xmas" Wish > use the past tense to indicate the unlikely situation Hope > use the present tense to indicate possibility. Hope with past tense > Only when you do not know what happened yet >I hope he left early ( you know he left , but early or not , you are still not informed .
November 29, 2015
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