When using wish, the tenses ‘go backwards’.
Current Wishes
Although the wish is for something now, use the past tense.
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| I wish I don’t have homework. | I wish I didn’t have homework. |
| I wish she is my girlfriend. | I wish she was my girlfriend. |
| I wish I can do magic. | I wish I could do magic. |
Past Wishes
Wishes in the past have to use the past perfect tense.
The past perfect tenses is had + done/eaten/gone etc.
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| I wish I studied harder when I was at school. | I wish I had studied harder when I was at school. |
| She wishes she didn’t kiss him. | She wishes she hadn’t kissed him. |
| He wishes he didn’t get drunk at the bar and acted stupidly in front of the staff. | He wishes he hadn’t got drunk at the bar and acted stupidly in front of the staff. |