Corrections · 8
I wish and if only
My boss is always shouting at me. Can I say tell:
1) I wish he would stop shouting at me and I could concentrate on my work.
2) I wish he wasn't weren't always shouting at me and I could concentrate on my work.
3) If only he'd stoped shouting at me I could concentrate on my work.
4) If only he wasn't weren't always shouting at me I could concentrate on my work.
Are there any mistakes there? Is there any difference in meanings?
I believe that Vera's use of the word "weren't" in sentences 2 and 4 is correct. "Weren't" is an example of the "subjunctive" mood in English.
2) I wish he weren't always shouting at me, and I could concentrate on my work. [Better: .... so I could concentrate on my work.]
4) If only he weren't always shouting at me, I could concentrate on my work.
Here is a good bilingual discussion of the subjunctive mood in English related to "wishing":
http://usefulenglish.ru/grammar/constructions-with-wish
There are many other useful bilingual discussions about English grammar on that website.
Also, here is a correct variant of Vera's sentence 3:
3) If only he stopped shouting at me, I could concentrate on my work.
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