Wish, If only, Would rather, It's time

I wish, If only, I'd rather, I'd sooner, It's high Time

I wish ...

I wish I had done

I wish I did

I wish you would do

wish + past simple = things that we would like to be different in the present or future (but which are very unlikely or impossible).

wish + past perfect = things that happened in the past and that we regret.

wish + [person/thing] + would + infinitive = situations that annoy us and we would like them to change, or to stop.

• I wish I hadn’t quit my job.
• I wish we hadn’t wasted all the money.
• I wish I had gone to bed earlier

• I wish you would stop biting your nails.
• I wish it would stop raining.
• I wish she would stop texting me.

• I wish I could sleep in every day.
• I wish I had enough money to buy that.
• I wish I could help you.

If only ...

We can use if only instead of I wish to mean the same. The only difference is that if only is more emphatic.

• If only I was/were a bit taller!
• If only you had followed my advice.
• If only you would make a bit of an effort!

Prefer / Would prefer

We can use prefer/would prefer with rather than or instead of to show the choices we have.

• I would prefer to be too early rather than be too late.
• I prefer to go with Dad instead of staying here with Mum.

Note that we use rather than + infinitive without to

Prefer + ing verb

We use prefer + noun or -ing verb to talk about general preference,

• I love running, but he prefers cycling.

We can use prefer with to to show the choices we have. The word to is a preposition here, so if we use a verb after to, it should take the -ing form.

• He prefers walking to cycling.

I'd rather / I'd sooner

We use would rather or would sooner + infinitive (without to) to talk about preference. We can use than in affirmative sentences or or in questions.

• Would you rather/sooner have tea or coffee?
• I'd rather have tea, please.
• I'd sooner have coffee than tea.

I'd rather / I'd sooner

We can also use would rather or would sooner + a subject and a past simple. With this, we talk about the present or the future.

• I would rather you took a taxi tonight.
• I'd sooner she told me the truth.

Or instead we can use it with a past perfect to talk about the past.

• I would rather you had taken a taxi last night.
• I'd sooner she had told me the truth.

It's (high) time

We can use it’s time or it’s high time followed by a subject and a past simple verb to say that something should be done now or in the future.

• It's time you went to the doctor.
• It's hight time we took a decision.