Definition:

Expressing regret means having a feeling of sadness about something that you did or did not do.
To express regret in English, you may use many different structures. Here are some of them.

1. wish or if only:
You can express regret by using “wish” or “if only”:

I wish / if only + Past perfect

Examples:

 I wish I hadn´t lost my temper. (but I did)

 If only I hadn't eaten so much.

2. Conditional type 3
You can also express regret by using a conditional sentence type 3.

If + past perfect / would + have + past participle

Examples:

 If I had worked hard, I would have passed the exam.( I regret now that I didn’t work hard-)
 I f I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have been sick.

3. should have+ PAST PARTICIPLE

Regret may also be expressed by using past modal should have:

Should have + Past Participle

Examples:

 I should have sent him an invitation. ( I didn’t send an invitation to him, now I regret)
 He should have done the work. ( He didn’t do the work, now he regrets)

4. I regret
You can express regret by using:

regret + Verb + ing OR regret + Noun

Examples:

 He doesn't regret leaving her.

 I regret the things I didn't do.