Wish and If-only

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​That boy is so annoying! I wish he would (he'd) stop talking.

​We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation we would like to be different. 

• ​​​That boy is so annoying! I wish he would (he'd) stop talking.

• ​That he would stop talking is a present situation the speaker would like to be different.

• ​​​​That boy is so annoying! If only he knew how to be silent.

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They wish they hadn't eaten so much chocolate. They're feeling very sick now.

We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about something we would like to change about the past. 

• ​​​They wish they hadn't eaten so much chocolate. They're feeling very sick now.

• If only they hadn't eaten so much chocolate. ​

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​I wish I lived closer to my family.

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​I wish they wouldn't park their car in front of my house.

We can use wish + would(n't) to show that we are annoyed with what someone or something does or doesn't do. We often feel that they are unlikely or unwilling to change.

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1. ​I wish they wouldn't park their car in front of my house.

2. ​She wishes he'd work less. They never spend any time together.