5B Expressing regrets!

I wish I’d studied harder: Expressing regrets and wishes

There are two basic phrases we use to express regrets and wishes: I wish … and If only … .

When you are talking about situations that exist in the present, the strange thing you need to remember is that you talk about the situation in the past simple:

I wish I lived in a bigger house.

I wish my friends could be here.

If only I didn’t have so much work to do!

Students are often taught to use were instead of was after I wish or If only. This is correct (it’s the subjunctive), and it’s a good idea to write it in a formal situation, but in speech or informal writing, it is perfectly acceptable to use was:

I wish I were taller. (formal)

If only I was better at maths.  (informal)

Another way of talking about wishes in the present, is to use I wish / If only + would + verb. We use this structure to talk about things we would like someone or something to do. We often use it when we feel annoyed about something:

I wish Hannah would stop complaining!

If only this computer wouldn’t keep crashing!

Remember that you can’t use this structure about yourself or a situation that you are in:

I wish I would have more money.

I wish I had more money.

Now let’s move on to regrets about the past. For these, we use the past perfect. A common mistake is to use the past simple instead:

I wish I studied harder.

I wish I had studied harder. 

If only my car didn’t break down.

If only my car hadn’t broken down! 

However, with the modal verb could, we use the present perfect:

I wish I could have spent more time with him.

If only she could have come with us.

I hope this makes this rather complicated subject a bit clearer!

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