EXPRESSING WISHES AND REGRET

EXPRESSING WISHES
♦ We use the verb wish to talk about things which we want but which are not possible:
Examples:
_ I wish you could agree to come.
_ I wish we had a bigger house.
A/ Wishes about the Present and Future
1. Wish + past simple
✍ This structure is used to express that we want a situation in the present (or future) to be
different.
✍ It's used for things which are impossible or very unlikely.
Examples:
_ I wish I spoke Italian. (I dont speak Italian)
_ I wish I had a big car. (I dont have a big car)
_ I wish I were on a beach. (Im in the office)
_ I wish it were the weekend. (Its only Wednesday)
_ I wish I had a big house (I don't have a big house, but it's a nice idea!).
_ I wish you lived close by (you don't live close by).
_ I wish John wasn't busy tomorrow* (he is busy, unfortunately).
2. Wish + past continuous
✍ This structure is used to express that we want to be doing a different action in the present
(or future).
Examples:
_ I wish I were lying on a beach now. (= I'm sitting in the office)
_ I wish it weren't raining. (= It is raining)
_ I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow. (= You are leaving tomorrow)
3. wish + that + 'could' + infinitive
✍ This structure is used to talk about ability and to talk about possibility.
Examples:
_ I wish that I could speak Spanish. (= but, unfortunately, I can't speak Spanish).
_ I wish that I could drive. (='I can't drive).
_ I wish that we could go to the party tonight.
(= unfortunately, we're busy so we can't go)
_ I wish that John could help you clean up. (= John is at work, so he can't help).
4. Wish + would + bare infinitive
✍ This structure is used to express impatience, annoyance or dissatisfaction with a present
action.
Examples:
_ I wish you would stop smoking.
(You are smoking at the moment and it is annoying me.)
_ I wish it would stop raining.
(I'm impatient because it is raining and I want to go outside.)

By Alemayehu Mokonnin
 _ I wish she would be quiet. (I am annoyed because she is speaking.)
B/ Wishes about the past
1. Wish + past perfect
✍ This structure is used to express a regret, or that we want a situation in the past to be
different.
Examples:
_ I wish I hadn't eaten so much. (I ate a lot)
_ I wish they had come on holiday with us. (They didnt come on holiday)
_ I wish I had studied harder at school. (I was lazy at school)
Note
👉 After I/he/she/it, we can use were instead of was:
Examples:
_ I wish I was/were taller.
_ Tola wishes he wasn’t/weren’t so busy.
EXPRESSING REGRET
♦ Regret is expressed after you did something you shouldnt have done or you didnt do
something you should have done.
Wish / If only + Subject + past perfect > regrets about the past
Subject + wish… + past > regrets about the present
If only… (more emphatic, stronger) + would > complaints
I. Present Regret
Examples:
👉 I don't speak English. Means:-
_ I regret not speaking English.
_ I wish I spoke English.
_ If only I spoke English.
A) Wish/If only + subject + past simple
Examples:
_ I wish/if only I weren't so shy.
_ I wish/ If only I knew what to say to people.
B) Regret/regret not + Ving Or Noun
EXamples:
_ He doesn't regret leaving her.
_ I regret the things I didn't do.
_ I regret not coming to your party.
_ I regret not working harder.
_ I regret eating so much.
C) Wish/if only + would/wouldn't + V1
♦ This structure is used to express complain at the present time.
Examples:
_ I wish/if only I wouldn't feed the animals.
_ I wish/if only I would do their homework on time.

By Alemayehu Mokonnin
II. Past Regret
✍ We can express regret about the past using the following structures:
✓3should (not) have + verb in the past participle
✓3ought (not) to have + verb in the past participle✓3If only + past perfect
✓3wish + past perfect
✓3conditional type III : [ If + past perfect ] + [would have + past participle]
✓3regret / regret not + having + past participle
✓3feel sorry for / feel sorry for not + having + past participle
Example:
👉 He had an accident because he drove too fast. Means:-
_ He should not have driven too fast.
_ He wishes/If only he hadnt driven too fast.
_ If he hadnt driven too fast, he wouldnt have had an accident.
_ He regrets having driven too fast.
_ He oughtnt to have driven too fast.
_ He feels sorry for having driven too fast.
A. I wish / if only + Past perfect
Examples:
_ I wish / if only I had worked harder.
_ I wish / If only I hadn't eaten so much.
_ I wish / if only I had come to your party!
_ I wish / If only I hadnt eaten so much.
_ I wish / If only I had driven more carefully.
B. If + past perfect + would + have + past participle
♦ We can also express regret by using a conditional sentence type 3.
Examples:
_ If I had worked hard, I would have passed the exam.
_ If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have been sick.
C. Should have (not) + Past Participle
♦ Regret may also be expressed by using a modal should:
Examples:
_ I should have sent him an invitation.
_ He should have done the work.
_ I should have come to your party.
_ I should have worked harder.
_ I shouldnt have eaten so much.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
1. If only they _____ you for advice before they started the project. You're the expert!
A. asked B. had asked C. could ask D. would ask
2. He wishes he ____ back in time and visit Ancient Rome.
A. traveled B. had traved C. Would travel D. could travel
3. I wish she _____ her shoes there. I'm always falling over them.

By Alemayehu Mokonnin
 A. wouldn't leave B. hadn't left C. didn't leave D. left
4. The traffic on the roads was terrible. I wish we _____ the train instead!
A. would catch B. had caught C. could catch D. caught
5. I'm not saying it again. I wish _____ when I'm talking.
A. had listened B. could listen C. listened D. would listen
6. If only I _____ the time off work, I'd come and visit you.
A. could take B. had taken C. took D. would take
7. I'm so tired. I wish I _____ home earlier last night.
A. went B. would go C. had gone D. could go
8. We're having such a lovely time in Scotland. If only it _____ all the time, though!
A. didn't rain B. were'nt rain C. Couldn't rain D. hadn't rained
9. I wish I _____ go to work tomorrow.
A. couln't have to B. wouldn't have to C. didn't have to D. hadn't have to
10. If only I _____ that to her. She's not speaking to me now.
A. didn't said B. hadn't said C. wouldn't say D. said
11. He wishes they _____ the kitchen in such a mess. He always has to clean before he cooks.
A. wouldn't leave B. hadn't left C. didn't leave D. couldn't leave
12. She wishes they _____ ten years ago!
A. met B. could meet C. had met D. would meet
13. If only he _____ here now. He'd know what to do.
A. had been B. were C. could be D. would be
14. It looks like rain. I wish I ____ my umbrella.
A. had brought B. brought C. could brought D. would brought
15. I'm starving. If only there _____ a restaurant open now.
A. was B. were C. had been D. could be
16. I wish people _____ loud music on the train. What's wrong with using headphones?!
A. hadn't played B. wouldn't play C. didn't play D. couldn't play
17. I wish that we _____ today. It is really freezing and wet.
A. haven't worked C. are not working
B. didn't need to work D. will not need to work
18. I wish I ____ a pilot so that I can travel to different parts of the world.
A. have been B. am C. were D. can be
19. If he ____ more careful, he wouldn't have had the accident.
A. had driven B. drove C. would drive D. has driven
20. Girum: Let's go to the theatre this afternoon. There is a new play at the National Theatre.
Mihret: I wish I _____ the time. I have a lot of work to [do] today.
A. had B. have C. have had D. will have
21. 'I wish you ______________ saying that. It's driving me mad.'
A. hadn't have kept B. hadn't kept C. wouldn’t keep D. didn’t keep
22. My head's killing me. I knew I __________________have had that last glass of wine.
A. couldn't B. wouldn't C. shouldn't D. didn’t
23. Hamza: 'Have you seen this job advertisement? It looks perfect for you but they want
someone who can speak Japanese. '
Kebede: Yes I saw it. I wish I ___________________ Japanese.'

By Alemayehu Mokonnin
 A. had spoken B. could speak C. should have spoken D. spoke
24. What a terrible noise! I wish they ______________________ that music down.
A. would turn B. had turned C. will turn C. will turned
25. 'We're on the wrong road. 'I know. I told you an hour ago. I wish / if only you
___________________.'
A. listened B. had listened C. listen D. were listen
26. I bought these trousers yesterday but I don't like the colour. I wish I ____________ them
now.
A. hadn't bought B. shouldn't have bought C. couldn't buy D. didn’t buy
27. Teacher: I feel awful. I knew I was going to get flu when I got up this morning.
Director: Why did you come to work then? You ____________________ at home.'
A. should stay B. wish you stayed C. should have stayed D. could stay
28. Bontu: 'I'm starving! I didn't have time for breakfast this morning.
Megertu: 'Here, have some chocolate.
Bontu: ''Thanks. You've saved my life!' '__________________asked me earlier.'
A. You should have B. If only you asked C. I wish you D. you could
29. I feel very tired this morning. I wish ______ out last night.
A) to have gone B) to not have gone C) I hadn't gone D. I didn't go
30. ______ my homework, I could have gone to the match last night.
A. If I had B. If not C. But not for D. But for
ANSWER KEY
1. B 11. A 21. C
2. D 12. C 22. C
3. A 13. B 23. B
4. B 14. A 24. A
5. D 15. A 25. B
6. A 16. B 26. A
7. C 17. B 27. C
8. A 18. C 28. A
9. C 19. A 29. C
10. B 20. A 30. D

By Alemayehu Mokonnin