Another example/wish

Cours gratuits > Forum > English only || Bottom

[POST A NEW REPLY] [Suivre ce sujet]

Another example/wish
Message from ivonne_k2003 posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:12:27 (D | E | F)
Hello,

And another example:
"You can hear a baby crying and you're trying to study. You say..."

1. I wish the baby wouldn't cry.
2. I wish the baby wasn't crying.
3. If only the baby stopped crying.
4. I wish the baby wouldn't be crying.
5. I wish the baby would stop crying.

Thanks for your help, Ivonne

-------------------
Edited by lucile83 on 05-10-2011 07:11

---

Re: Another example/wish from stammer, posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:16:54 (D | E)
Hello,

Completely ungrammatical opinion alert:
I am obviously missing something here, I take it that this is a was/were debate?

To me the third sentence would be better if it were (or was...) "If only the baby were to stop crying". The fourth sentence just sounds a little unatural.
I am sure that someone who actually knows anything about grammar will be able to better explain this/correct me, but I thought that I may as well put my thoughts into the mix.

Edit: Wouldn't it be better if it were "I wish that the..." than "I wish the..." (in this context)?

-------------------
Edited by stammer on 04-10-2011 23:36

-------------------
Edited by lucile83 on 05-10-2011 07:12

---

Re: Another example/wish from ivonne_k2003, posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:25:49 (D | E)
Thanks a lot for the opinion. What about the other options (1,2) - are they correct?

---

Re: Another example/wish from notrepere, posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:53:21 (D | E)
Hello

In this context, it is best to use wish + would to express impatience or annoyance about a present situation:

I wish they would stop smoking.
I wish the baby would be quiet.
I wish it would stop raining.

Therefore, I'd say:

I wish the baby would stop crying.
If only the baby would stop crying.

---

Re: Another example/wish from ivonne_k2003, posted on 04-10-2011 at 23:59:53 (D | E)
Nice to read it notrepere because these were the forms which I chose as 'the best'. Yes, I thought about the aspect of 'getting on my nerves' and impatience.

Thanks a lot,
Ivonne

-------------------
Edited by lucile83 on 05-10-2011 07:13

---

[POST A NEW REPLY] [Suivre ce sujet]

Cours gratuits > Forum > English only