ESLSongs

Practice the expression “I wish…“ with this song, I Wish You Would by Taylor Swift. The lyrics of this song include the following 5 examples of the verb “wish”:

• I wish you would come back
• I wish I’d never hung up the phone
• I wish you knew
• I wish you were right here
• I wish we could go back

There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

It’s 2 A.M. in your car
Windows down, I pass my street
The memories start

You say it’s in the past
And drive straight ahead
You think I’m gonna hate you now
‘Cause you still don’t know what I never said

I wish you would come back
Wish I’d never hung up the phone like I did
I wish you knew that
I’d never forget you as long as I’d live

And I wish you were right here, right now
It’s all good
I wish you would

It’s 2 A.M. in my room
Headlights pass the window pane
I think of you

We’re a crooked love
In a straight line down
Makes you wanna run and hide
Then it makes you turn right back around

I wish you would come back
Wish I’d never hung up the phone like I did
I wish you knew that
I’d never forget you as long as I’d live

And I wish you were right here, right now
It’s all good
I wish you would

I wish we could go back
And remember what we were fighting for
Wish you knew that
I miss you too much to be mad anymore

And I wish you were right here, right now
It’s all good
I wish you would

You always knew how to push my buttons
You gave me everything and nothing
This mad, mad love makes you come rushing
Stand back where you stood
I wish you would, I wish you would

I wish you would, I wish you would

2 A.M., here we are
See your face
Hear my voice in the dark

We’re a crooked love
In a straight line down
Guess you wanna run and hide
But it made us turn right back around

I wish you would come back
Wish I’d never hung up the phone like I did
I wish you knew that
I’d never forget you as long as I’d live

And I wish you were right here, right now
It’s all good
I wish you would

I wish you would come back
Wish I’d never hung up the phone like I did
I wish you knew that
I’d never forget you as long as I’d live

And I wish you were right here, right now
It’s all good
I wish you would

I wish we could go back
And remember what we were fighting for
Wish you knew that
I miss you too much to be mad anymore

And I wish you were right here, right now
It’s all good
I wish you would

You always knew how to push my buttons
You gave me everything and nothing
This mad, mad love makes you come rushing
Stand back where you stood
I wish you would, I wish you would

Suggested activity: rewrite the phrases

Download this exercise (PDF)

Rewrite the phrases in bold with expressions beginning “I wish…”. Then listen to check

It’s 2am in your car, windows down, I pass my street, the memories start
You say it’s in the past, and drive straight ahead
You think I’m gonna hate you now ‘cause you still don’t know what I never said

I want you to come back – I wish you _______________ back
I regret hanging up the phone like I did – (I) wish _______________
I want you to know – I _______________
…that I’d never forget you as long as I’d live
And I want you to be right here, right now – And _______________, right now
It’s all good, I wish you would

It’s 2am in my room, headlights pass the window pane, I think of you
We’re a crooked love in a straight line down
(It) makes you want to run and hide, then it makes you turn right back around

I want you to come back – I wish you _______________ back
I regret hanging up the phone like I did – (I) wish I_______________
I want you to know – I _______________
…that I’d never forget you as long as I’d live
And I want you to be right here, right now – And _______________, right now
It’s all good, I wish you would

I would like it if we could go back – _______________
And remember what we were fighting for
I want you to know that – _______________
I miss you too much to be mad anymore
And I want you to be right here, right now – And _______________, right now
It’s all good, I wish you would

You always knew how to push my buttons
You gave me everything and nothing
This mad, mad love makes you come rushing
Stand back where you stood
I wish you would, I wish you would

2am, here we are, (I) see your face, (you) hear my voice in the dark
We’re a crooked love in a straight line down
(I) guess you want to run and hide but it made us turn right back around

What wishes do you have for the future?

• I wish my teacher would give me less homework next week. I have a party to go to!
• I wish my football team would win for a change, we always lose!
• My baby brother is always crying. I wish he would stop!

Taylor Swift

Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting and artistic reinventions, she is one of the world’s best-selling music artists with estimated global sales of 200 million units, the first billionaire with music as the main source of income, and the highest-grossing female touring act. Swift is an influential figure in popular culture and the subject of widespread public interest.