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I wish and if only My boss is always shouting at me. Can I tell: 1) I wish he would stop shouting at me and I could concentrate on my work. 2) I wish he weren't always shouting at me and I could concentrate on my work. 3) If only he stoped shouting at me I could concentrate on my work. 4) If only he weren't always shouting at me I cold concentrate on my work. Are there any mistakes there? Is there any difference in meanings?

Corrections · 8

2

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?

1

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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