Make a wish means to silently think of something you want, hoping it will happen. People do it as part of a small ritual: blowing out the candles on a cake, seeing a shooting star, throwing a coin into a fountain. If what you wished for really happens, people say my wish came true.
Want to remember make a wish?
Write a sentence — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
make a wish; make a wish (that) + clause; your wish comes true
- Before blowing out the candles, Anna closed her eyes and made a wish.
- Tourists often throw a coin into the fountain and make a wish.
- If you could make one wish for your career, what would it be?
What changed
First versionBlow out the candles and guess a wish!
RevisionBlow out the candles and make a wish!
Guess means to give an answer without knowing if it is right, so guess a wish sounds like trying to work out someone else's wish. In English you don't guess your own wish; you make it: make a wish.
To wish something for another person, use wish without make: I wish you luck. We wish you a happy birthday. For your own plans and hopes in everyday speech, use hope: I hope I get the job. Make a wish is kept for the moment when you actually make a wish as a ritual.
Your turn
It's your birthday, so close your eyes and ___ before you blow out the candles.
Show the answer
make a wish — Before blowing out the candles, you make a wish. Guess means to try to find the right answer, so guess a wish doesn't fit here.
Think of a celebration when you made a wish. Write where it was and what you wished for.
On New Year's Eve at my parents' house, I made a wish that I would find a job abroad.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.