Wishes/Regrets
What Is It?
Wishes/Regrets refers to hypothetical structures for present dissatisfaction, past regret, and desired change.
C1-C2 reference topic in Modal and Hypothetical Structures.
Why Use It?
- Talk about unreal situations tactfully.
- Express regret with correct tense distance.
- Use would for annoying repeated behavior.
Formation and Patterns
| Use | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present wish | wish + past simple | I wish I knew the answer. |
| Past regret | wish + past perfect | She wishes she had revised. |
| Desired change | wish + would + V | I wish it would stop raining. |
Common Mistakes
- Using would about yourself for simple ability: I wish I would know.
- Using past simple for past regret instead of past perfect.
- Forgetting tense distancing after wish.
Exceptions & Nuances
- If only is more emphatic than wish and often more emotional.