Wish

If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.

(pre-driverless car saying)

starter

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell?
Blue skies from pain?
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk-on part in the war
For a leading role in a cage

How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
Wish you were here

entremets

1. wish can be followed by a noun phrase (and by words from a few other classes: an occasional particle, resultative adjective, ... )
   • We wish you the best of luck.
   • She wished me a merry Christmas.
   • We wished each other well and moved on.
   • You can't really wish away aging.
2. wish is not followed by an embedded clause in the simple present, present continuous, or the future.
3. Instead, use hope with the simple present or the future.
   • I hope you don't mind if I leave a bit early.
   • I hope you can make it on Saturday.
   • I hope it won't break.
   • I hope the movie will be good.

Main course

1. wish is often followed by an embedded clause in the simple past or the past continuous to express regrets about the present or future.
   • I wish I knew when the delivery would be here.
   • I wish he had a cell-phone.
   • Don't you wish you were queen/king of the planet? You could solve all the world's problems!
   • They're going to Martinique. I kind of wish I were going with them. (was is also possible)
2. If the embedded clause is in the past perfect, it expresses regrets about the past.
   • I wish I had known we were supposed to bring cake.
   • I bet you wish you had brought cake.
   • Yep, I wish I had been paying attention when Dr. Organizer was telling us who should bring what.
3. The remote modals could and would are very often used with wish:
   • I wish I could afford to buy a planet, don't you? Not a big one.
   • He wished the cat would stop peeing in her shoes every time she stayed over. It really was not very nice.