Wishes, regrets and unreal conditions

1	The present

Wishes - grammar

We can use 'wish' + (that)  + subject + past tense to express regret that things are not different. 
I wish I had a car
I wish I could fly
I wish I didn't have to go to work.

We can use 'wish' + (that) + subject + would + bare infinitive
to express regret about people's behaviour or other actions in the present.

I wish it would stop raining
I wish they wouldn't make so much noise
I wish he would leave.

Note:

(1)
We don't use wish + would for stative verbs:
I wish I had more money.
Not, I wish I would have more money. 

(2)
When you want someone to do something or stop doing something immediately, we use 'wish + would'

I wish they would go home.
Not, I wish they went home.

I wish she'd stop making that noise.
Not ,I wish she stopped making that noise.

Sometimes both forms are possible with little change in meaning, only a slight change in emphasis:

I wish he didn't gamble.
He gambles. I wish this were not true.

I wish he wouldn't gamble
He gambles. I want him to stop.

Wishes  - examples

Doris is unhappy with her life.

Doris works part-time in a supermarket.
She lives in a small flat in Sham Shui Po.
The building is old, noisy and crowded.
Her neighbours play mahjong every night until 2 a.m.
Drug addicts hang around outside the building.
The police never do anything.
She is married to Raymond.
Raymond is a taxi driver.
She has two young children and a baby.
The baby cries all day and all night.
The children are very untidy.
Raymond never helps Doris with the housework.
Raymond never helps the children with their homework.

Raymond does not earn much money.
Doris wants him to study but he doesn't want to.
He doesn't want to change his job.
He goes to the horse race every Wednesday night.
He goes out drinking with his friends every night.
He never talks to Doris.

Doris's wishes

I wish _______________________________ a nicer flat.
I wish the neighbours____________________________
I wish those drug addicts _________________________
I wish the police ________________________________
I wish Raymond ________________________________
I wish he ______________________________________
I wish he ______________________________________
I wish he ______________________________________
I wish he wouldn't _______________________________

Possible answers

I wish we had a nicer flat.
I wish the neighbours didn't / wouldn't play mahjong at night.
I wish those drug addicts would go away.
I wish those drug addicts wouldn't / didn't hang around outside.
I wish the police would do something.
I wish Raymond had a better job.
I wish Raymond would change his job.
I wish Raymond would study.
I wish he would help me with the housework.
I wish he didn't / wouldn't drink so much.
I wish he didn't / wouldn't go to the horse race.
I wish he would help the children with their homework.

Conditionals : the second conditional

We can use the second conditional to give reasons for these wishes.

If Raymond had a better job, we would have more money.
If we had more money, we could find a better flat.
If he studies, he could find a better job.
If he didn't drink so much, we could save more money.

The second conditional is made as follows:

If + subject +  past tense, subject + modal auxiliary verb + bare infinitive

The modal auxiliary verb in the result clause can be, 'would', 'could', or 'might'.
The choice depends on the degree of certainty:
The second conditional always refers to unreal, unlikely or impossible conditions

If I had a car ...		(I don't have a car)
If I could fly...			(This is impossible)
If I won the Mark Six...	(This is unlikely)

If we had more money, we could find a better flat (i.e. it would be possible to find a better flat)
If we had more money, we would move immediately (i.e. you are sure)
If I won the Mark Six, I would go travelling. (You're sure)
If I won the Mark Six, I might emigrate. (You're not sure).