Expressing wishes and regrets
1. Expressing regret:
-
I wish I hadn’t followed my family’s advice → S + wish + S + past perfect
-
I feel sorry I went into business. → I feel sorry + S + verb in the past simple
-
If I had gone for law, I could have been a lawyer → if +S+ past perfect, S+ could+have+ past participle of the verb
-
I regret having chosen this career → I regret + having+ past participle of the verb
2. wishes about the present:
-
I wish you were
here sharing this lovely holiday with me (you are not now here with me)
-
If only you were
here sharing this lovely holiday with me
-
I wish I had a
good job ( I have a bad job now)
-
I wish I had a
million dollars ( I do not have a lot of money now)
-
I wish I were a
good dancer ( I am now a bad dancer )
-
I wish I were a
doctor ( I am not really a doctor)
Form:
S + wish + (that) + s + verb in the past
simple
If only + s + verb in the past simple
Use:
Present wishes indicate that something is
contrary to fact. That is, wishes are something that is untrue, but desired
3. wishes about the future:
-
I wish you would stop
smoking soon
-
If only you could stop
smoking soon
-
I wish all nations could live
in peace
Form:
S + wish + (that) + s + could/ would +
infinitive of the verb
If only + s + could/ would + infinitive of
the verb
Use:
We use wishes about the future when we want to talk
about people’s ability to do things or when we want to talk about things that
we would like people to do or not to do
4. .
Wishes about the past: (past regret):
-
If only I had passed
the test last year ( I didn’t pass)
-
I wish they had worked
hard on the project ( they didn’t)
-
I wish I had been
there( I was not there)
-
My grand father wishes he had had a
cell phone in his childhood (he did not have a cell
phone).
-
If only I had participated in
the project
Form:
S+ wish+ (that) + S + past perfect/
If only+ S+ past perfect
Use:
We use wishes about the past to talk about
wishes and regret of the past situation
