I wish to complain…..

‘I wish to’ can mean the same as ‘I want to’ but it is really formal and not very common.

However the word ‘wish’ can vary in definition.

Wish as a noun means ‘offer good wishes’

• I wish you the best with your new job.


• We wish you a merry Christmas

Wish can also be used in moments of regret in the present.

• I wish I lived in Paris

In formal English we use the subjunctive with ‘wish’

• I wish I was rich (incorrect)


• I wish I were rich


• I wish I were in New York

We change ‘will’ with would when we use wish

• I wish you would stop talking


• I wish he would take responsibility

Listen to the video and see if you can hear a sentence with ‘I wish’