Unreal Past: Wishes and Regrets
In English, we often talk about things we wish were different in the past or express regrets about actions. To do this, we use unreal past forms such as wish, if only, and should have.
1. Unreal Past with wish and if only
We use wish and if only + past perfect to talk about things we regret or would like to change about the past.
- wish: I wish I had studied harder for the exam.
- if only: If only we had left earlier, we wouldn’t have missed the train.
Form: wish/if only + had + past participle
2. Unreal Past with should have, could have, might have
We use should have to say that something was a good idea, but we didn’t do it.
Could have and might have are used to talk about possibilities in the past.
- should have: You should have called me.
- could have: She could have won the race.
- might have: He might have forgotten the meeting.
Form: should/could/might + have + past participle
3. Examples Table
| Expression | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| wish + past perfect | I wish I had known about the party. | I didn’t know about the party, and I regret it. |
| if only + past perfect | If only she had listened to me. | She didn’t listen, and I regret it. |
| should have + past participle | You should have told me the truth. | It was a good idea to tell me, but you didn’t. |
| could have + past participle | They could have helped us. | It was possible for them to help, but they didn’t. |
| might have + past participle | He might have missed the bus. | It’s possible he missed it. |
4. Common Mistakes
-
Incorrect: I wish I would study harder last year.
Correct: I wish I had studied harder last year. -
Incorrect: You should tell me before.
Correct: You should have told me before.
5. Interactive Exercise
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets using wish, if only, or should have.
6. Practice
Write 2 sentences about your own regrets or wishes about the past using wish or should have.
- Example: I wish I had learned to play the piano when I was younger.
- Example: I should have gone to bed earlier last night.