I wish or If only (Ojalá…)
We use I wish or if only to express a strong wish that
things could be different.
If only means the same as I wish but is stronger
Talking about the present:
We use if only + past simple to talk about a wish for the
present:
Ojalá supiera/viviera/pudiera… = verb. –era
I wish / If only + person  + past simple (did/could)
If only he knew the truth. (he doesn’t know the truth, but
he wishes he did)
If only there was something she could do or say to help.
*We sometimes use were instead of was in more formal
situations:
Talking about the past:
We use if only + past perfect to talk about a wish to
change something that has already happened, things
that you regrent doing/not doing:
Ojalá hubiera sabido/vivido/podido… = verb. –ido
I wish / If only + person  + had … (done/been)
I wish I was ly
If only he had listened to what his friends had been
telling him. (He didn’t listen.)
If only Anna had been able to come. (Anna wasn’t able
to come.)
Talking about the irritating habits:
We use if only + would + infinitive without to to talk
about a wish for the future or to show how things are and
how things we would like to be.
Ojalá supiese/viviese/pudiese = verb. –ese
I wish / If only + person  + would infinitive (do/be)
He wishes his daughter would wear smarter clothes.
If only someone would buy the house.
If only they would talk to each other.
As if and as though (como si…)
We use as if and as though to make comparisons. They
have a similar meaning. We use as if and as though to talk
about an imaginary situation or a situation that may not be
true but that is likely or posible:
as if / as though + past simple
The floods were rising and it was as if it was the end.
It looks as though you’ve not met before.
She moved her lips as if to smile.
They were shouting as though in panic.
As if and as though commonly follow the
verbs feel and look:
She felt as if all her worries had gone.
They felt as though they had been given the wrong
information.
Would rather (Preferiría…)
We usewould rather or ’d rather to talk about preferring
one thing to another.
Talking about the present or future:
I would rather + person  + base form (do/go)
I would rather + person  + past simple (did/went)
I’d rather you didn’t go to the disco
I’d rather stay in a hotel
Talking about the past:
I would rather + person  + have … (done/gone)
I would rather + person  + had … (done/gone)
She would rather have spent the money on a holiday.
I’d rather you had seen it at the cinema than on DVD.
Talking generally about the present and future:
I would rather + infinitive to… (do/go)
The goverment would rather not give out too many
benefits to young people.
Much rather
We can use much with would rather to make the
preference stronger. In speaking, we stress much:
I’d much rather make a phone call than send an email.
She’d much rather they didn’t know about what had
happened.
I’d rather not
We often use I’d rather not as a short response to
say no to a suggestion or request:
A: Do you want to go for a coffee?
B: I’d rather not, if you don’t mind.
would sooner = would just as son = ’d rather
We use the phrases would sooner and would just as
soon when we say that we prefer one thing to another
thing. They mean approximately the same as would
rather:
I don’t really want to go back to France again this year.
I’d sooner go to Spain.
Thanks for the invitation, but, if you don’t mind,
we’d just as soon stay at home and watch it all on TV.
would rather is followed by the bare infinitive
would prefer is followed by to + infinitive or a noun
would rather sit than walk
would prefer to sit rather than / instead of walk
would rather walk than drive
prefer walking to driving