Regrets

Present regret. S+ Wish/ if only + S + Past simple

I wish/ If only I was on holiday now.

I wish I listened to my mum.

…….be honest more in life.

If only I was honest in life.

……speak French.

I wish I spoke French.

I wish I listened to my mum.

If only I was honest more in life.

She wishes she spoke French.

 PAST regret

I didn’t pass the course. I

wish I had studied hard.
Form of past perfect:
had+V3

A. When we wish we had or hadn´t done something in the past, we use

the Past Perfect tense of the verb that follows WISH:

*I wish I had passed the exam. Did she pass the exam? no

*She wishes she hadn’t got married him. Did she get married? yes

Is she happy about getting married?_no

B. NOTE: We can use If only instead of wish. For e.g.:

I wanted to visit my friend in the USA but I didn’t get the visa.

I wish I had got the visa. Or If only I had got the visa.

C. You can use should/shouldn’t have V3 to talk about regrets.

I should’ve seen the film. She shouldn’t’ve done it.

D. Third conditional.(form: If+ Past Perfect, would+have+V3

study/pass exam

If I’d studied I would’ve passed the exam.

not listen to my mum/not get married

If I hadn’t listened to my mum I wouldn’t’ve got married.

 PRACTICE

Read the following situations and write sentences using wish or If only.
1. I was waiting for Alex to come, but he never arrived.

I wish I hadn’t waited for Alex.

2. I want to call her, but I don’t know her number.

If only I knew her number.

3. My parents didn’t have money to take that trip around U.S.

My parents wish they had had money.

4. We missed the train to London.

We wish we hadn’t missed the train to London.

5. Lucy lost $100 yesterday night.

She wishes she hadn’t lost the money.

6. Real Madrid didn’t score.

7. I ate seafood last night and I feel bad now.

I wish I hadn’t eaten seafood last night________________

8. When Mike was young he didn´t want to learn English. Now he’s 40 years and he can’t
speak English well.

_______________________________________________________________

YOUR TURN

Write your own ideas. (Use I wish.. If only…should/shouldn’t have V3)

1. I wish I had learned English earlier. Chcialbym

2. Marcin wishes he had drunk coffee.

3. Joanna wishes she had woken up earlier.

4. I wish I was in Spain.