I wish/If only we had been travelling

yesterday when the weather was fine In sentences like the above if only particularly expresses regret

If only I had been here yesterday The accident would never have

happened Compare

/ wish I had been here yesterday You all seem to have had such a

good time (a simple wish, not the expression of regret)

11.42.4 'Would' and 'could' after 'wish' and 'if only'

/ wish you would/wouldn t often functions like a polite imperative Because the wish can easily be fulfilled, if only is less likely

/ wish you would be quiet

I wish you wouldn't make so much noise

We must use could and not would after / and We I wish I could be you If only we could be together I wish I could swim I wish I could have been with you

Would expresses willingness, could expresses ability / wish he would come tomorrow (i e I don't know if he wants to) / wish he could come tomorrow (i e I'm sure he can't) / wish Tessa could have come to my party (\ e she wasn't able to)

Wishes expressed with would at the beginning of a sentence have either become obsolete (Would that it were true') or have become fossilized idioms (Would to God! knew¹ Would to God I had known¹)

11 Modal auxiliaries and related verbs

The position of 'only' after 'if

Only can be separated from if and can be placed

- after be If he was/were only here now!

- before the past participle If I had only known!

- after the modal If you would only try harder!

Though the separation of only from if is common in exclamations (as

above), it is also possible in longer sentences

If more people were only prepared to be as generous as you are many children s lives would be saved (If only more people)