Hope and Wish

INTRODUCTION

Most of people get confused between hope and wish. Hope and wish have very similar meanings. We use them to express our desire for something different from how it is now. In a nutshell, hope mainly expresses a desire that is possible or likely to happen. Wish usually expresses a desire that is impossible or unlikely to happen. Sentences with hope and wish are usually followed by a noun clause starting with that.

A conditional sentence is a sentence that expresses a condition. A condition is something that can only happen if something else occurs. A conditional sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause that almost always begins with “if” but we can also use another word except “if” like provided that, unless or otherwise. In this paper we will discuss about conditional sentence with “if” and “otherwise”.

DISCUSSION

A.    Hope and Wish

Hope and wish are used to express a speaker’s desires or future plans. When showing a contrast with reality, the subjunctive mood is used. The subjunctive mood shows that the ideas are imaginary, improbable, or contrary to fact.

	Explanations	Examples
Hope	The verb hope is generally used to express optimism; the speaker feels that something is possible.	I hope (that) he will visit us. (It is quite possible that he’ll visit us.)	I hope (that) they are going. (I think that they are going to go.)
Wish	The verb wish is often used to express impossibility or improbability; the speaker wants reality to be different than it is. To show the contrast to reality, would, could, or a special verb form-the subjunctive mood-is used after wish.	I wish (that) he would visit us. (It is doubtful that he’ll visit.)	I wish (that) they were going. (I don’t think they’re going to go.)

Wishes are expressed by using would, could, or a subjunctive verb form in the dependent clause.

The Subjunctive Mood with Wish

	Explanations	Examples	Implied meaning
Wishes about the future	For future wishes the subjunctive is the same as the simple past tense, in most cases.	I wish (that) I could go home soon. I wish (that) things would change.	I can’t go home soon. Things probably won’t change.
Wishes about the present	For present wishes, in most cases the subjunctive is the same as the simple past tense. In formal English, were is used for all forms of the verb be. In informal English, was is often used with I, he, she, and it, although this is considered incorrect.	I wish (that) I weren’t here. I wish (that) I weren’t living here. I wish (that) I didn’t have to be here.	I am here, but I’m not happy about it. I am living here, but I don’t like it. I have to be here, but I don’t like it.
Wishes about the past	Past wishes are also expressed by using a subjunctive verb form in the dependent clause. In all cases, this form is the same as the past perfect tense (had + past participle).	I wish (that) my life had gone differently. I wish (that) I had been good.	I don’t like the way my life has gone. I wasn’t good then, and I regret it.

1.      Practice

1.      I wish that I’d done a lot of things differently. Past. (I don’t like my way to do a lot of things then, and I regret it.)

2.      I wish I’d worked harder at my old job. Past. (I didn’t work harder at my old job, and I regret it now)

2.      Practice

1.      I’d rather be outside in the fresh air. (I wish I were outside in the fresh air)

2.      We’d rather be jogging. (I wish we were jogging)

B.     Otherwise

Otherwise is a transition that contrasts reality with wishes and dreams. It means “if the situation were different ”or ”under other circumstances”.

Explanations	Examples	Implied meaning
The auxiliaries could, might, and would are often used after otherwise. As with other transitions, a semicolon is used when two sentences are joined into one.	I’m scared to walk alone at night; otherwise, I would go to the party. I don’t have any money. Otherwise, I might buy a new car. No one knows where the criminal is hiding. We could arrest him, otherwise*	I am scared to walk home alone at night, so I won’t go to the party. I don’t have any money, so I can’t buy a new car. We don’t know where the criminal is hiding. As a result, we cannot arrest him.

*This placement of otherwise is informal. It is used in conversation only.

1.      Practice

1.      I don’t have much money this month. Otherwise, I might buy a gift for my mother’s birthday.

2.      I have a lot of homework tonight; otherwise, we could attend the firework show.

C.    Imaginary Conditionals: Present or Unspecified Time

Imaginary conditions express ideas that the speaker or writer thinks are unlikely, untrue, or contrary to fact. They may be wishes or dreams, or they may express advice to others.

Explanations	Examples	Implied meaning
Could, might, or would is used in the main clause, and a subjunctive form is used in the if clause. In most cases, the subjunctive form is the same as the simple-past tense, but with the verb be, were is used for all persons in formal English.	If I had more money, I could take some trips. If I were rich, I would never worry. If I were you, I would save money. If I was you, I would save money.*	I don’t have much money, so I am not able to take any trips. I’m not rich, so I worry sometimes. My advice to you is that you should save money. My advice to you is that you should save money.

 *This form is incorrect but is frequently used in conversation.

2.      Practice

1.      I wish that there weren’t so much crime in this neighborhood. Then I wouldn’t feel so nervous about living here. (If there weren’t so much crime in this neighborhood, I wouldn’t feel so nervous about living here.)

2.      I wish the street were safer here.Then I could walk home at night. (If the street were safer here, I could walk home at night.)

Analyzing the Passage

Doing Time

When (complement) I (subject) was (verb) a child (complement), my ma (subject) always talked (verb) about taking responsibility for your own actions (complement). Sometimes (complement) I (subject) don’t care (verb) anything about what she (subject) said (verb), but many days (complement) I (subject) wish I’d listened to her and I’d thought (wish about the past) about what she (subject) was trying (verb) to teach (verb) me (object). Here I (subject) am-doing (verb) time (object) in the joint (complement). I (subject) am caged (verb) like an animal (complement) because I (subject) did (verb) some horrible things (object) to some people (complement) who (modifier subject) were (verb) probably nice (complement). Sure, I (subject) wish I weren’t there (wish about the present). Sure, I (subject) wish they’d never caught me (wish about the past).

But that aim tall (complement). I (subject) wish this life I’ve got now had never happened (wish about the past). I (subject) wish I’d done it differently (wish about the past). I (subject) wish I’d believed (wish about the past) that someday (complement) I’d be responsible for what I’d done (wish about the past). I (subject) hope (hope) somebody (subject) will pay attention (verb) to the words of people like my ma (complement).

I wish I’d known (wish about the past). I wish I’d listened (wish about the past). And I wish I were out on the street (wish about the present).

                                                                                            

CONCLUSION

Hope and wish are seemed same but actually there is difference between them. Hope is for desiring something good or positive in the future and likely to be happened. While wish to desire something that is impossible or not likely to happen. Hope usually takes a simple present verb, and wish mostly follows the pattern of the second conditional (i.e., using would and other past patterns). In the past, wish follows the pattern of the third conditional (i.e., using had+ verb).

A conditional sentence is a type of sentence that states a condition and the outcome of that condition occurring. It is made up of a dependent clause and an independent clause. The conditional of sentence begin with “if” or except “if” like in this paper; “otherwise”.

REFERENCES

K. Werner, Patricia.2007. Mosaic 1 Grammar Silver Edition. McGraw-Hill: New York