Speech Work: Expressing Wishes and Supposition – Basic 6 English Lesson Note (Third Term)

What are Wishes and Suppositions?

Wishes express things we want but don’t have. Suppositions are statements about imaginary situations.

Structure for Expressing Wishes:

“I wish” + past tense (for present wishes) “I wish” + past perfect (for past wishes)

Examples of Wishes:

• I wish I was in Ibadan. (present wish)
• I wish I had a bicycle. (present wish)
• I wish I were rich. (present wish – formal)
• I wish I had studied harder. (past wish)

Structure for Suppositions:

“If” + past tense + “would” + base verb

Examples of Suppositions:

• If I were rich, I would give every beggar some money.
• If I had wings, I would fly to America.
• If it rained, we would stay indoors.
• If I were the president, I would build more schools.

Key Points:

1. Use “were” (not “was”) for all persons in formal wishes and suppositions
2. Wishes about the present use past tense
3. Suppositions use “would” in the main clause

Exercise A – Complete the Wishes

Fill in the correct form of the verb:

1. I wish I _______ (be) taller.
2. I wish I _______ (have) more friends.
3. I wish it _______ (be) holiday tomorrow.
4. I wish I _______ (can) speak French fluently.
5. I wish my family _______ (live) in Lagos.

Exercise B – Make Suppositions

Complete these supposition sentences:

1. If I were the headmaster, I would ________________.
2. If I had a million naira, I would ________________.
3. If I could fly, I would ________________.
4. If I were invisible, I would ________________.
5. If I lived in America, I would ________________.

Exercise C – Wishes or Suppositions?

Write W (Wish) or S (Supposition):

1. I wish I were smarter. ___
2. If I were you, I would study harder. ___
3. I wish I had a computer. ___
4. If it rained tomorrow, we would cancel the picnic. ___
5. I wish my grandmother were still alive. ___

Exercise D – Express Your Own Wishes

Write five of your own wishes:

1. I wish I _________________________________
2. I wish I _________________________________
3. I wish I _________________________________
4. I wish I _________________________________
5. I wish I _________________________________