Intermediate Grammar
Master English grammar one unit at a time. Clear notes, then 40+ interactive exercises with instant feedback — based on the topics in English Grammar in Use (Intermediate).
I wish you wouldn’t … — wish + would“wish + would / wouldn’t + base verb · for actions & changes we want · not for our own actions” — 44 interactive questions
📖 Grammar Reference — I wish you wouldn’t … — wish + would
Study the notes, then work through the six exercises.
A I wish you would… — I want something to change
Use wish + would when you want a change, or you want someone to do something. You are not happy with the situation now and you’d like it to be different:
💡 After would always use the base verb: would stopped / would stopping → would stop.
B I wish you wouldn’t… — stop an annoying habit
Use wouldn’t when something somebody keeps doing annoys you and you want them to stop:
| I wish you wouldn’t interrupt me. complaint | = please stop interrupting. |
| I wish they wouldn’t play loud music. complaint | = they keep doing it; it annoys me. |
C would (a change) or past simple (how things are)?
Use would for an action / change you want to happen. For a situation now that you’d like to be different, use the past simple (see Unit 39):
💡 Things, not just people: I wish my phone would charge faster (action) · I wish I had a better phone (state — not I wish I would have).
D Don’t use I wish I would… about yourself
wish + would is for what other people or things do. We don’t normally use it for our own actions or states — use the past simple instead:
💡 would = I want you / it / they to change. For my own situation: I wish I + past simple.
Made with care for English learners · allenglish4u.com
Original practice material inspired by the English Grammar in Use syllabus (Cambridge University Press). Example sentences and exercises are written by All English 4U.