Wish vs. Hope – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Read the furious tech blogger’s review of a newly released, hyper-expensive laptop that features absolutely no standard ports. Choose the best option to complete the sentences, paying close attention to whether the author is expressing a realistic expectation (Hope), a present regret (Wish + Past Simple), a complaint (Wish + Would), or a past regret (Wish + Past Perfect).
1 “As a loyal customer for years, I really wish the engineering team ______ all the standard USB-A ports from this premium device.”
(a) haven’t removed
(b) didn’t remove
(c) hadn’t removed
(d) wouldn’t remove
2 “I just ______ the manufacturer eventually releases a free adapter to compensate for this incredibly awful design.”
(a) hope
(b) wish
(c) expect
(d) wishing
3 “At this astronomical price point, I wish the laptop ______ at least one built-in HDMI port for basic office presentations.”
(a) has
(b) had
(c) would have
(d) had had
4 “I sincerely wish tech companies ______ forcing us to buy dozens of expensive dongles just to use our own equipment.”
(a) stopped
(b) will stop
(c) would stop
(d) had stopped
5 “Many users bought this thinking it was a massive upgrade, but now they wish they ______ their hard-earned money.”
(a) saved
(b) had saved
(c) save
(d) would save
6 “I ______ you are reading this review before making the irreversible mistake of purchasing this machine.”
(a) hope
(b) wish
(c) regret
(d) am wishing
7 “As a professional video editor, I wish I ______ plug my SD card directly into the laptop without needing an external hub.”
(a) can
(b) could
(c) could have
(d) will be able to
8 “After struggling with this portless disaster for a week, I deeply wish I ______ the older model instead.”
(a) bought
(b) would buy
(c) have bought
(d) had bought
9 “We can only ______ that the next generation of this laptop will feature a much more practical and user-friendly design.”
(a) wish
(b) hope
(c) expecting
(d) want
10 “Looking at this massive design flaw, I wish the quality assurance team ______ the prototype more thoroughly in real-world scenarios.”
(a) tested
(b) had tested
(c) would test
(d) have tested
11 “I ______ this review saves someone from wasting $2,000 on a laptop that cannot even connect to a standard printer.”
(a) wish
(b) hope
(c) desired
(d) wished
12 “The battery life is decent, but I wish the charging cable ______ so frustratingly short.”
(a) wasn’t
(b) isn’t
(c) weren’t
(d) hasn’t been
13 “Every time I fail to connect my external hard drive, I wish the CEO ______ down and try doing it himself.”
(a) will sit
(b) sits
(c) would sit
(d) had sat
14 “It is blatantly obvious they prioritized thinness over functionality; I wish they ______ a better balance during the design phase.”
(a) struck
(b) have struck
(c) strike
(d) had struck
15 “If you are a creative professional, I ______ you have a large budget for all the necessary third-party adapters.”
(a) wish
(b) hope
(c) hoping
(d) wished
16 “They hyped this up as the ultimate workstation. I wish their marketing department ______ honest about its severe connectivity limitations.”
(a) were
(b) have been
(c) had been
(d) would be
17 “This machine is practically useless for standard office work. I wish it ______ compatible with older projectors out of the box.”
(a) is
(b) were
(c) has been
(d) will be
18 “I wish other tech reviewers ______ praising this laptop just because it looks futuristic and shiny.”
(a) will stop
(b) stop
(c) would stop
(d) had stopped
19 “I ______ the company listens to this backlash, but I honestly wish I ______ never trusted their pre-order hype.”
(a) hope / had
(b) wish / have
(c) hope / have
(d) wish / had
20 “You literally have to carry a bag full of wires everywhere. I wish the daily user experience ______ less chaotic.”
(a) is
(b) was
(c) were
(d) had been
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (c) hadn’t removed
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + Past Perfect expresses regret about a past action. The manufacturer already removed the ports before releasing the laptop, and the blogger regrets this past decision.
- Error Analysis: (a) & (b) are wrong tenses for past regrets after “wish”. (d) wouldn’t remove is for future/present behavior, not a past finalized design.
2 (a) hope
- Why it is correct (The Key): Hope + Present Simple is used to express a realistic desire for the future. The blogger thinks it is actually possible that the company will release an adapter.
- Error Analysis: (b) wish would require a past tense (e.g., wished they released) and implies it’s unlikely or hypothetical.
3 (b) had
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + Past Simple expresses a desire for a present situation to be different. The laptop currently does not have an HDMI port; the blogger wishes it had one now.
- Error Analysis: (a) has is grammatically incorrect after “wish” for present states. (d) had had is Past Perfect, which would mean wishing it had one in the past.
4 (c) would stop
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + would + Verb is the standard B2 structure to express annoyance or frustration about someone else’s ongoing behavior and a desire for them to change it.
- Error Analysis: (a) stopped is okay for a present state, but would stop is much stronger for emphasizing annoyance at a habit. (b) will stop is grammatically incorrect after “wish”.
5 (b) had saved
- Why it is correct (The Key): The users bought the laptop in the past. Now, they regret that past action. Regret about the past requires Wish + Past Perfect.
- Error Analysis: (a) saved would mean they wish they were saving money right now.
6 (a) hope
- Why it is correct (The Key): The reviewer realistically desires that you are reading this right now. Hope is used for possible, real situations.
- Error Analysis: (b) wish would require “you were reading” and would imply that you are not actually reading it.
7 (b) could
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + could + Verb is used to express a desire for a present ability that you do not currently have. The blogger cannot plug the SD card in right now.
- Error Analysis: (a) can is incorrect after “wish” (must step back a tense). (c) could have refers to a past missed opportunity, not a present lack of ability.
8 (d) had bought
- Why it is correct (The Key): The blogger made the purchase a week ago. Regretting a past choice requires Wish + Past Perfect.
- Error Analysis: (a) bought would be a wish about the present. (c) have bought is grammatically incorrect after “wish”.
9 (b) hope
- Why it is correct (The Key): Expressing a realistic desire for a future product release requires Hope + that + future/present clause.
- Error Analysis: (a) wish would require a past or conditional tense (e.g., would feature) and implies it probably won’t happen.
10 (b) had tested
- Why it is correct (The Key): The testing (or lack thereof) happened in the past during the prototype phase. Wish + Past Perfect is required.
- Error Analysis: (a) tested refers to the present. (c) would test refers to future/present behavior.
11 (b) hope
- Why it is correct (The Key): The reviewer genuinely wants the review to save someone money (a real, possible outcome). Therefore, Hope is used with the present simple verb “saves”.
- Error Analysis: (a) wish would strictly require the past tense “saved” to express a hypothetical situation.
12 (c) weren’t
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + Past Simple for a present situation. In formal B2/C1 English, the verb “to be” after “wish” should always be were/weren’t for all subjects (I, he, she, it).
- Error Analysis: (b) isn’t is grammatically incorrect after “wish”. (a) wasn’t is used in informal speech, but weren’t is the grammatically correct option for standard tests.
13 (c) would sit
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + would + Verb expresses intense annoyance at the CEO’s behavior/inaction and a desire for them to take action.
- Error Analysis: (b) sits is incorrect after “wish”. (d) had sat refers to the past, but the blogger is annoyed “every time” (present).
14 (d) had struck
- Why it is correct (The Key): The design phase occurred in the past. The regret about how it was designed requires Wish + Past Perfect.
- Error Analysis: (a) struck would mean wishing for it right now.
15 (b) hope
- Why it is correct (The Key): Hope + Present Simple (“you have”). The blogger is expressing a realistic (albeit sarcastic) desire that the buyer has enough money.
- Error Analysis: (a) wish would require “you had”.
16 (c) had been
- Why it is correct (The Key): The marketing hype happened in the past (“They hyped this up”). Regretting the past marketing strategy requires Wish + Past Perfect.
- Error Analysis: (a) were would mean wishing they were honest now, but the sentence refers to the past hype.
17 (b) were
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + Past Simple to express a desire to change a present reality. The machine is currently incompatible. As established, use were for all subjects.
- Error Analysis: (a) is and (d) will be are grammatically incorrect after “wish”.
18 (c) would stop
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + would + Verb is the perfect structure to complain about other people’s annoying habits (other reviewers praising the laptop).
- Error Analysis: (a) will stop is incorrect after wish. (d) had stopped would mean they already stopped in the past.
19 (a) hope / had
- Why it is correct (The Key): The first blank is a realistic future desire: “I hope the company listens.” The second blank is a deep regret about a past mistake (trusting the hype): “I wish I had never trusted…” (Wish + Past Perfect).
- Error Analysis: (d) wish / had is incorrect because “wish the company listens” uses present tense, which violates the grammar rules of “wish”.
20 (c) were
- Why it is correct (The Key): Wish + Past Simple for a present reality (the experience is currently chaotic). Use were for the singular subject “experience” in hypothetical clauses.
- Error Analysis: (b) was is informal. (d) had been refers to the past, but the user is complaining about the daily, ongoing experience.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 HOPE vs. WISH:
- Use Hope for things that are possible, realistic, and likely to happen in the future. It is followed by Present or Future tenses. (Example: I hope they fix this issue soon.)
- Use Wish for hypothetical, unreal, or impossible situations. It is followed by “step-back” tenses (Past Simple, Past Perfect, or Would).
2 WISH + Past Simple (Present Regret):
- Use this to say you want a present situation to be different.
- Example: “I wish this laptop had a USB port.” (Reality: It doesn’t have one right now).
- Note: Always use were instead of was for formal grammar. (I wish it were cheaper).
3 WISH + Past Perfect (Past Regret):
- Use this to express regret about a finalized decision or something that happened in the past.
- Example: “I wish I had not bought this laptop.” (Reality: I already bought it last week).
4 WISH + Would + Verb (Annoyance):
- Use this to complain about someone’s annoying habit or behavior, showing that you want them to change it.
- Example: “I wish Apple would stop removing ports.”