WISHES AND REGRETS:

WISHES AND REGRETS:

o
o
o

With:
Wish / if only
Its time / its high time/ its about time
Would prefer it if/would have preferred
it if/ would prefer
o Would sooner/ would rather

Wish/ if only:
We use them with past simple and past continuous
to express present wishes:

I wish Tom was/were here now.

If only I knew someone who could help me.
All the staff wish you werent leaving so soon.
If only it wasnt/werent raining!

Wish/ if only:
We use them with past perfect to express past
wishes and very often also to express regrets:
If only I had known you were coming.
I wish I had known you were coming.

Wish/ if only:
We use them with would to express future
wishes:

I wish more young people would vote, but they

wont.
If only it would stop raining, we could go out.

Its time/ its high time/ its

about time:
We use them with past simple and past continuous
to express what the speaker would like to
happen now/ in the future:

Its time you had a haircut.

Its high time you got a job.
Its about time we were leaving.

Its time/ its high time/ its

about time:
We use them with to-infinitive when there is no
subject after time to express what the speaker
would like to happen now/ in the future:

Its time to buy a new car.

Would prefer it if:

We use it with past simple and past continuous
to express preference now/ in the future:

I would prefer it if people didnt use their

mobile phone on public transport.
Id prefer it if we were meeting/met at
the cinema.

Would have preferred it if:

We use it with past perfect to express
preference in the past and very often also
to express regrets :

We would have preferred it if you had

warned us at the time.

Would prefer:
We use it with to-infinitive when there is no
subject after prefer to express preference
now/ in the future:

Id prefer to get involved.

Would rather/would sooner:

We use them with past simple and past continuous
to express preference now/ in the future:

I would rather you went home now.

Id sooner you came next week.
Id rather my family were spending/spent
more time together.

Would rather/would sooner:

We use them with past perfect
to express preference in the past and very often
also to express regrets :

Id rather you had told me before.

Would rather/would sooner:

We use them with zero infinitive when there is no
subject after rather/sooner to express
preference now/ in the future :

Id rather have something to eat.

PAST TENSES
Created by:
Carmen Luisa Prez Amaro