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Note:
To express a realizable wish an infinitive, not a clause is generally used:
I want him to come.
I should like to discuss things in detail.
He wished it to be true.
If the action refers to the past or is prior to the moment it is desired the non-factual past perfect or past
perfect continuous is used, no matter in what tense the verb in the principal clause is. Thus in both the sentences
I wish I hadn’t come and I wished I hadn’t come the non-factual past perfect denotes a prior imaginary action,
contradicting reality.
We wished we hadn’t left everything to the last minute.
I wish I had been taught music in my childhood.
If the desired action refers to the future the following subjunctive forms may be used:
would + infinitive (only when the subject of the subordinate clause and that of the principal clause do not
denote the same thing or person). It denotes a kind of request.
could + infinitive
may (might) + infinitive
The form would + infinitive
is used when the fulfilment of the wish depends on the will of the person
denoted by the subject of the subordinate clause. If the fulfilment of the wish depends more on the
circumstances, the quasi-subjunctive form may (might) + infinitive is preferable, to show that the realization of
the action is very unlikely.
I wish you would treat me better.
I wish I could help you.
I wish he might have helped me.
When rendering wish-clauses into Russian it is possible to use a clause with the opposite meaning,
introduced by the impersonal «жаль», «как жаль», «какая жалость» or by the finite form of the verb
«сожалеть».
I wish I knew it.
I wish I didn’t know it!
I wish I had known about it!
- Жаль, что я этого не знаю.
- Какая жалость, что я это знаю!
- Жаль, что я не знал об этом!
3. In object clauses after verbs expressing fear, apprehension, worry (to fear, to be afraid, to be terrified,
to be anxious, to worry, to be fearful, to be troubled, to be in terror, to tremble, to dread, etc.) two forms are
used, depending on the conjunction introducing the clause:
a)
after the conjunction that or if the clause is joined asyndetically, the quasi-subjunctive may/might
+
infinitive is used. The choice of either may or might depends on the tense of the verb in the main clause.
They trembled (that) they might be discovered.
I fear (that) he may forget about it.
Они дрожали, что их могут обнаружить.
Боюсь, как бы он не забыл об этом.
b) after the conjunction lest the form should + infinitive is used.
The passengers were terrified lest the ship
should catch fire.
Пассажиров охватил ужас, как бы корабль не
загорелся.