💋 If only they would chew with their mouth closed.
You survived the pulling phase, you made it through the dates, but now you are actually in a relationship and realizing that your partner is incredibly annoying. English gives us a brilliant, specific grammar structure just for complaining. We use the word Wish to talk about things we want to change: a current situation we hate, a past mistake we regret, or an annoying habit that is doing our head in.
- Doing my head in (phrase): British slang for annoying me extremely; driving me crazy.
- Pet peeve (noun): A minor annoyance that a person finds particularly irritating, even if other people don't care.
1. The Cheeky Dictionary: 8 Words for Annoying Habits
Practice: drag a word, or select it and choose a gap.
1. He didn't even notice I was crying. He is completely to my feelings.
2. Don't take him seriously, he is just trying to you because he thinks it's funny.
3. She bites her toenails in bed. It is absolutely .
4. My biggest is when people leave me on read and post on Instagram.
5. He is so ; he has cancelled our dates three times this month.
6. I don't know how you can his terrible singing in the shower every morning.
7. All he does is about his boss, but he never actually quits his job.
8. Leaving all the dirty dishes in the sink after I cooked dinner is extremely .
Choose a word, then choose a gap.
2. Grammar Mechanics: The Three Wishes
When you use the word "wish," you are stepping into a fantasy. Because it isn't real, the grammar takes a step *back* into the past.
| What you want to change | The Grammar | Cheeky Example |
|---|---|---|
| The Present Situation (I want my life right now to be different) |
Wish + Past Simple | "I wish I was single again." (Reality: I am not single right now.) |
| An Annoying Habit (I want someone else to stop doing something) |
Wish + Would + Verb | "I wish he would stop texting his ex." (Reality: He keeps doing it and it winds me up.) |
| A Past Regret (I want to change history) |
Wish + Past Perfect (had + V3) | "I wish I hadn't given him my number." (Reality: I did give it to him last night, and I regret it.) |
3. Reading: The Breaking Point
Notice how Mia and Jake use all three types of "wish" to complain about their dating lives!
4. Interactive Practice: The Complaint Department
Exercise A: Choose the right "Wish"
1. (A past regret) I feel terrible today. I wish I those last three tequila shots.
2. (An annoying habit) My flatmate leaves his wet towels on the floor. I wish he them up.
3. (Present desire) I hate my job. I wish I more money so I could quit.
Exercise B: Type the Complaint
Use the correct grammar to express these wishes!
1. (Annoying Habit) He always checks his phone during dinner.
I wish he (not / check) his phone.
2. (Past Regret) I was so rude to her yesterday.
I wish I (not / say) those things.
5. Speaking Practice: Spilling the Tea ☕
- What is your biggest pet peeve? Use "I wish people would/wouldn't..." to complain about it.
- Think of a past relationship or bad date. What is one thing you wish you hadn't done?
- What is a habit you have that probably winds up your friends? Do they ever say, "I wish you would..." to you?
- If you could change one thing about your life right now, what do you wish was different?
- Is it better to tolerate a partner's gross habits, or moan at them until they change?