English Course · Level 4 (B1+) · Week 3 of 12

Social Media and the News

Grammar: wish / if only — present wishes and past regrets

This week's plan

Day	Learn	Listen / Watch	Practise
Day 1	Words: Online life · Sentences 1–2	BBC 6 Minute English: “Is social media dead?” (podcast)	Exercise 1
Day 2	Words: The news · Sentences 3–4	TED-Ed: “How to choose your news” (video)	Exercise 2
Day 3	Words: Fake or true? · Sentences 5–6	British Council: “Wishes: 'wish' and 'if only'” (grammar)	Exercise 3
Day 4	Words: Habits and problems · Sentences 7–8	TED-Ed: “How false news can spread” (video)	Exercise 4
Day 5	Words: Opinions online · Sentences 9–10	BBC 6 Minute English: “Doomscrolling: Why do we do it?” (podcast) + VOA Learning English: “Three Phrases for Expressing Regret in English” (audio)	Write & Speak
Day 6	Review all 30 words + 10 sentences	British Council: “Social media influencers” (reading) + British Council: “A digital detox podcast” (listening)	Redo mistakes
Day 7	Free day ☺	BBC Learning English Grammar: “Regrets” (podcast)	Tick your tracker

30 minutes a day: review, learn, listen, practise, speak. Day 7 is a free day. Tap a resource to find it.

30 words to learn

Set 1 · Online life

tagيُشير إلى شخص (في منشور) / يعمل تاج
shareيشارك / يعمل شير
a subscriberمشترك (في قناة)
scrollيتصفح بالتمرير / يقلّب
a livestreamبث مباشر / لايف
a notificationإشعار

Set 2 · The news

a correspondentمراسل
a press conferenceمؤتمر صحفي
a sourceمصدر
breaking newsخبر عاجل
reportيذكر / يغطي (خبرًا) / تقرير
the mediaوسائل الإعلام

Set 3 · Fake or true?

a hoaxخدعة / خبر ملفّق
a rumourشائعة / إشاعة
fact-checkيتحقق من صحة المعلومة
credibleموثوق / ذو مصداقية
sensationalمثير ومبالغ فيه (لجذب الانتباه)
spreadينتشر / ينشر

Set 4 · Habits and problems

addicted toمدمن على
binge-watchيشاهد حلقات كثيرة متتالية
waste timeيضيّع الوقت
a distractionمصدر إلهاء / تشتيت
compare yourself toيقارن نفسه بـ
a digital detoxفترة ابتعاد عن الأجهزة الإلكترونية

Set 5 · Opinions online

a commentتعليق
a trollشخص يتعمّد الإساءة والاستفزاز على الإنترنت
cyberbullyingالتنمّر الإلكتروني
blockيحظر / يعمل بلوك
unfollowيلغي المتابعة
a trendموضة رائجة / تريند

10 sentences to memorise

1I wish I didn't spend so much time on my phone.ليتني لا أقضي كل هذا الوقت على هاتفي.
2I wish I hadn't shared that post without checking it.ليتني لم أشارك ذلك المنشور دون أن أتحقق منه.
3If only I had more free time!ليت لديّ وقتَ فراغ أكثر!
4The video went viral in just a few hours.انتشر الفيديو انتشارًا واسعًا في ساعات قليلة فقط.
5Always check the source before you believe a headline.تحقق دائمًا من المصدر قبل أن تصدّق أي عنوان.
6That story was a rumour; it wasn't reliable at all.كانت تلك القصة شائعة؛ لم تكن موثوقة على الإطلاق.
7My sister wishes she could switch off for a whole week.تتمنى أختي لو تستطيع أن تبتعد عن كل شيء وترتاح أسبوعًا كاملًا.
8I wish people wouldn't post rude comments.ليت الناس يكفّون عن كتابة التعليقات الوقحة.
9Stop comparing yourself to influencers — their lives aren't real.توقف عن مقارنة نفسك بالمؤثرين؛ فحياتهم ليست حقيقية.
10If only I had turned off my notifications before the exam!ليتني أغلقت الإشعارات قبل الامتحان!

Grammar: wish / if only — present wishes and past regrets

wish / if only + past simple = I want the present to be different. I wish I had a car. (I don't have one.)

wish / if only + past perfect = regret about the past. I wish I hadn't said that. (I said it.)

wish + could = ability · wish + someone + would = I want someone to change an annoying habit.

بالعربية نقول «ليتني أعرف» بالمضارع، ولذلك يخطئ كثيرون فيقولون I wish I know. في الإنجليزية نرجع بالزمن خطوة إلى الوراء: للحاضر نستخدم الماضي البسيط (I wish I knew)، وللماضي نستخدم الماضي التام (I wish I had known). ومع فعل be يمكن استخدام were مع كل الضمائر: I wish I were taller. أما wish + would فتكون للشكوى من سلوك شخص آخر، ولا نقول I wish I would.

Meaning	Form	Example
Present wish	wish + past simple	I wish I lived near the sea.
Ability	wish + could	I wish I could speak French.
Past regret	wish + past perfect	I wish I had studied harder.
Annoying habit	wish + someone + would	I wish my neighbours would stop shouting.
Strong feeling	If only + the same forms	If only I hadn't lost my wallet!

Wrong: I wish I know. ✔ I wish I knew.

Wrong: I wish I didn't go yesterday. ✔ I wish I hadn't gone yesterday.

For possible future things, use hope, not wish: I hope you pass the exam. (not I wish you pass)

Exercises

Exercise 1 · Complete with the correct form of the verb.

1) I wish I ___ (have) more followers.
2) I wish I ___ (not post) that photo last night.
3) If only I ___ (can) concentrate better!
4) Mona wishes she ___ (know) how to fact-check a story.
5) I wish my brother ___ (stop) playing games all night.
6) If only we ___ (check) the source before we shared it!

Show the answers

1) had 2) hadn't posted 3) could 4) knew 5) would stop 6) had checked

Exercise 2 · Write a sentence with I wish for each situation.

1) I don't have a laptop.
2) I believed a fake story and shared it.
3) I can't stop scrolling at night.
4) My friend always sends me silly videos at 2 a.m.
5) I didn't go to bed early yesterday.
6) I live very far from my work.

Show the answers

1) I wish I had a laptop. 2) I wish I hadn't believed (shared) that fake story. / I wish I had checked the story before I shared it. 3) I wish I could stop scrolling at night. 4) I wish my friend wouldn't send me silly videos at 2 a.m. / I wish my friend would stop sending me silly videos at 2 a.m. 5) I wish I had gone to bed early yesterday. / I wish I had gone to bed earlier yesterday. 6) I wish I didn't live so far from my work. / I wish I lived near my work.

Exercise 3 · Correct the mistake.

1) I wish I know the answer.
2) I wish I didn't say that yesterday.
3) If only I have more time!
4) I wish I would be taller.
5) I wish you pass your exam tomorrow.
6) She wishes she can drive.

Show the answers

1) I wish I knew the answer. 2) I wish I hadn't said that yesterday. 3) If only I had more time! 4) I wish I were (was) taller. 5) I hope you pass your exam tomorrow. 6) She wishes she could drive.

Exercise 4 · Translate into English.

1) ليتني لم أصدّق تلك الشائعة.
2) ليت لديّ متابعين أكثر.
3) تحقق من المصدر قبل أن تشارك الخبر.
4) ليتني أستطيع إغلاق هاتفي يومًا كاملًا.
5) انتشر الخبر بسرعة، لكنه كان كاذبًا.

Show the answers

1) I wish I hadn't believed that rumour. / If only I hadn't believed that rumour. 2) I wish I had more followers. 3) Check the source before you share the news. / Check the source before sharing the news. 4) I wish I could switch off my phone for a whole day. / I wish I could turn off my phone for a whole day. 5) The news spread quickly, but it was fake. / The news spread fast, but it was false.

Do each exercise in pencil first, then open the answers to check.

Write & Speak

Write & Speak — “Social media: friend or enemy?”: write an opinion paragraph of 150–200 words. Give your opinion, two reasons with examples, and one wish about your own habits. Then say your opinion aloud in two minutes.

Example: In my opinion, social media is a good friend but a dangerous enemy if we don't control it. On the one hand, it keeps us in touch with people we love. My cousin lives in Canada, and thanks to WhatsApp and Facebook, I see photos of her children every week. It is also a quick way to follow breaking news and learn new skills, such as cooking or English. On the other hand, social media spreads fake news and rumours very fast. Last year, a story about schools closing in Cairo went viral, and thousands of parents panicked before the ministry said it wasn't true. I wish more people would check reliable sources before they shared posts like that. Another problem is addiction. Many young people compare themselves to influencers and feel unhappy about their own lives. Personally, I wish I didn't spend three hours a day scrolling. If only I had started limiting my screen time earlier! Now I switch off my notifications after ten o'clock, and I already feel calmer.