054_Hope_and_Wish_part_2

054_Hope_and_Wish_part_2

This is the Second of two episodes in which Nichibei student Hana asks instructor Phil Sandoz to clarify the use of ‘hope’ and ‘wish’.

Kevin:

Hello everyone and welcome to Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin Podcasting. A great way to review English words and phrases. My name is Kevin Jones.
This episode we are here again with Hana. Hello Hana thanks for coming back.

Hana:

Your welcome, I’m happy to be here.

Kevin:

Good. And also here again to help us out is Nichibei instructor Phil Sandoz. Hello Phil.

Phil Sandoz:

Hello Kevin

Kevin:

Hana, In the last episode you asked us about the words ‘hope’ and ‘wish’. We finished talking about hope and you asked a question. could you repeat your question again?

Hana:

Sure, I asked about the diference between these two sentences.
‘I hope it stops raining’ and ‘I wish it would stop raining’.

Kevin:

Phil, could you pick it up from there?

Phil Sandoz:

Sure. I told you before that If one hopes for something, you want it to happen, but you’re not sure that it will and you can do nothing about it.
Now wishing is usually wanting something that is impossible, or that doesn’t seem probable, or for being sorry that things are not different.

Hana:

Like saying, ‘I wish I were rich’?

Phil Sandoz:

Yes, exactly. Or saying ‘I wish I could fly’ or ‘I wish he would stop talking.’

Hana:

OK. Now what about my question from before?

Phil Sandoz:

Oh yes,
‘I hope it stops raining soon’ and ‘I wish it would stop raining soon’.

Hana:

Yes.

Phil Sandoz:

OK. With the first one. ‘I hope it stops raining soon’, It may or may not stop, and you would like it to stop.
WIth the second one, ‘I wish it would stop raining’. It means It doesn’t look as if it’s going to stop, I feel sorry about that.
So if it is rainy season, you might say…

Hana:

I wish it would stop raining.

Phil Sandoz:

That’s right, because in rainy season, it rains for a long time without stopping.

Hana:

And if there is a chance it will stop raining, I would say, ‘I hope it stops raining’

Phil Sandoz:

You’ve got it. Now let’s review two common structures for for using wish.

Hana:

OK.

Phil Sandoz:

The first one is subject + wish + clause.

Hana:

Subject + wish + clause? What is the clause?

Phil Sandoz:

The clause is a subject plus the past tense

Hana:

So … I wish I was… or I wish he was…

Phil Sandoz:

Yes, that’s right. Can you use this structure?

Hana:

Sure. I wish it was Friday.

Phil Sandoz:

Good! Or ‘I wish it were Friday’ if you want to sound more formal.
OK, now let’s try our second sturcture. This one is the same as the first, subject + clause, but it uses a different clause. This clause is subject + past perfect.
Listen to this example, ‘I wish I had gone skiing last weekend’.
OK, now you give it a try.

Hana:

I wish I had studied English harder in High School.

Phil Sandoz:

Good. That sounds fine.
Now, Let me give you a short test about using hope or wish. Remember that wish uses a past tense or past perfect structure.

Hana:

OK, let’s go.

Phil Sandoz:

Here is the first one. Tell me if you should use hope or wish where you hear the tone.
I____ I can get a good seat for the concert.

Hana:

Hope.

Phil Snadoz:That’s right. I hope I can get a good seat for the concert.
I ____ everybody would get here on time.

Hana:

Wish?

Phil Snadoz:That’s right. I wish everybody would get here on time.
She _____ to become a lawyer.

Hana:

Hope

Phil Snadoz:That’s right. She hopes to become a lawyer.
I _____ that you won’t forget my birthday.

Hana:

Hope?

Phil Snadoz:That’s right. I hope that you won’t forget my birthday.
I’ll bet he ____ he hadn’t forgotten her birthday.

Hana:

Hope?

Phil Snadoz:

No, that has a perfect tense sturcture so it is wish. I ‘ll bet he wishes he hadn’t forgotten her birthday.
We ____ we didn’t have so much homework.

Hana:

Wish?

Phil Snadoz:

That’s right. We wish we didn’t have so much homework.
We ____ we won’t have too much work next week.

Hana:

Hope.

Phil Snadoz:

That’s right. We hope we won’t have too much work next week.
He ____ to study engineering in graduate school.

Hana:

Hope.

Phil Snadoz:

That’s right. He hopes to study engineering in graduate school.
I ____ this class would end.

Hana:

Wish?

Phil Snadoz:

That’s right. I wish this class would end.

Hana:

Well, Mr. Sandoz, Thanks for your help

Phil Sandoz:

Your welcome. My pleasure

END