I am a bit confused with this two words. Okay, let take an example, in season 2 episode 23 of the Big Bang Theory, when Leonard is going to the North Pole and Penny said I wish you weren't going. But I thought it should be aren't cause he was not going yet. So I'm so confused with it. Can anyone teach me about it?
Learn English – When can we use aren’t and weren’t
word-difference
Best Answer
For a condition contrary to fact. That's an easy way to learn this:
I wish you weren't going but unfortunately you are going. [were/present continuous. [also in third person: I wish he were or was here].
I wish you had a bicycle but you don't. [simple past/simple present]
**I wish you would tell me why, but I know you won't. [would/will: conditional and will]
I wish you could tell me, but I know you can't.
[subject] wish is followed by subject + were because this is like a conditional clause where a situation or condition does not actually exist. You wish it existed but it does not.
wish is never followed by the present tense (simple or continuous) of the verb be.