"I wish I knew" or "I wished I knew" 1

[dgillz]

I am currently writing a letter and this one has me stumped.

What is proper in this case? "I wish I knew ______" or "I wish[red]ed[/red] I knew ______"?

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

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"What version of URGENT!!! are you using?

 

[ClulessChris]

Do you still wish, or did you once wish?

Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!

 

[Thadeus]

I wish I knew the address."

"I wished I knew the instructor's name. Then I noticed her name tag."

Is your wishing present or past tense?

 

[tcsbiz]

I wish I had known" is common usage.

 

[ChrisHunt]

All are possible:

"I wish I knew somebody at this party"

"When I arrived at the party, I wished I knew sombody there"

"I wish I had known that the party was fancy dress before I turned up"

That said, "I wished I knew" sounds really clumsy to me - I don't think it's something I'd say in real life. The other two are in common usage.

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd

 

[dgillz]

I wish I knew .Net programming better, I would have landed that project last week.

So my wish is ongoing. It still seems clumsy to me however I put it.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

"What version of URGENT!!! are you using?

 

[beltmanjr]

Dont put terms of doubt in any letter. It never looks too well. Rather transform it into something like:

I am confident that I would have landed the .Net related project of last week were I given the chance to further develop my programming skills in the relevant field.

 

[dgillz]

Thanks beltmanjr. A little out of context but it got me thinking in the proper way. This site and forum is amazing.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

"What version of URGENT!!! are you using?

 

[AnotherHiggins]

-> It never looks too well.


[tt]_____
[blue]-John[/blue][/tt]
[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]

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[beltmanjr]

I've learned that words that cast doubt should be avoided, especially in anything you write about yourself (think CV/Resume)

So avoid words like hope, wish, should, might, may, would, could and use their stronger synomyms such as will and can.

I hope to perhaps be able to maybe fix the issue if things would just go well hopefully -> I will fix it....

Anyway, you probably got the idea....

Good luck

 

[SantaMufasa]

...and what about this alternative:

I wished I knewed...

But, then again, there may be some people that have problems with "knewedity". <grin>

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[Welshbird]

Dave - you're naughty.

Fee

"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen

 

[gbaughma]

I think Thadeus was onto it there....

"What time is it?" "I wish I knew." (as in, I am wishing right now that I knew what time it is)

"I wished I knew more people at the party last night" (as in, last night, past tense, I had that wish)

Although, more properly, I would say:
"I wished I had known more people at the party last night." (Still past tense, but strengthened by the "had known")



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[pinkgecko]

I wish I were a newt.

[blue]When birds fly in the correct formation, they need only exert half the effort. Even in nature, teamwork results in collective laziness.[/blue]

 

[AnotherHiggins]

A pink newt?

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[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]

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[pinkgecko]

Nah, would like to go to a more masculine color if possible. Purple maybe?

[blue]When birds fly in the correct formation, they need only exert half the effort. Even in nature, teamwork results in collective laziness.[/blue]

 

[Stella740pl]

You think it is more masculine?

My (young) son doesn't think so.

He wouldn't let me buy him a purple notebook or an eraser, wrap his textbook in purple paper, let alone wear anything purple. He thinks it is a girly color. ;-)

 

[gbaughma]

I wish I gnu?



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[AnotherHiggins]

I wash eyes anew?

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[harebrain]

>He thinks it is a girly color.

Barney.