Grammar Focus: Wish and If only

We use wish and if only to express desires and regrets about unreal situations.

• wish/if only + Past Simple — regret about a present situation: I wish I had more money.
• wish/if only + Past Perfect — regret about a past situation: I wish I had studied harder.
• wish/if only + would — desire for a change in someone's behaviour (often annoyance): I wish it would stop raining.

After wish, use were for all subjects: I wish I were taller.