Language point

If you could wish for anything in the whole world for your pet, what would it be?

To hope and to wish have slightly different meaning. To hope for something means you want something to be true or to happen and you believe that it is possible or likely. I hope the show is not sold out yet. However, if you wish something were true, you would like it to be true, even though you know that it is impossible or unlikely. I wish it was a sunny day today so we could go to the beach. Note that when we use 'wish' to express something that is impossible or unlikely to happen, we use the past tense.

1. I _________ the exam tomorrow will/would not be too difficult.

2. I _________ I can/could join you for dinner, but I have a lot to do.

3. I _________ the weather will/would be nice during my holiday.

Answers: 1. hope, will 2. wish, could 3. hope, will