[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-493873-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-493873-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","wishes-regrets-explanations-regret","WISHES & REGRETS EXPLANATIONS - REGRET","","Wishes & Regrets Explanations provides clear English grammar guidance on expressing regret, wishes, and related criticisms. It contrasts regret + ing with regret + to infinitive, then explains wish/if only patterns using Past Simple, Past Perfect, and would/could structures for annoyance and past ability. The guide also covers should + perfect for past regrets, third/mixed conditionals for imagining alternative outcomes, and preference forms such as would like/love/prefer, would have liked, and would rather/sooner.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/wishes-regrets-explanations-regret/493873/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/wishes-regrets-explanations-regret/493873.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"404brain","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-31","2026-10-01",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",8,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"How do you use regret + ing vs regret + to infinitive?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Regret + ing expresses wanting something in the past to have been different. Regret + to infinitive is a polite or formal way to say you are sorry or sad about a situation, especially when delivering bad news.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What grammar patterns are used for I wish / If only?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Use I wish/If only + Past Simple for a present or general situation you do not like, and I wish/If only + Past Perfect for things that did or did not happen in the past.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How do third and mixed conditionals relate to regrets and criticisms?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"They speculate about how situations might have been different. If the past outcome changes, the structures model regret, criticism, and other alternative possibilities.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},493873,1791956477,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,95,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":96,"preview_page_count":4},1099529839291,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","WISHES & REGRETS EXPLANATIONS  \nREGRET  \nRegret + ing is used to say we want something in the past to have been different.  \nI regret going out last night.  \nHe bitterly regretted ever having mentioned it.  \nRegret + to infinitive is used to say in a polite or formal way that you are sorry or sad about a situation. Used especially when you are giving someone bad news  \nWe regret to inform you that your application has not been successful.  \nI WISH / IF ONLY  \n1. A wish/ regret/ criticism that a present, future or general situation is not what you would like it to be:  \nI wish / If only + Past Simple I wish I were rich. (I am not)  \n2. A wish/ regret/ criticism that sthg happened or didn’t happen in the past.  \nI wish / If only + Past Perfect  \nI wish I had already started studying for the exam. (I have not)  \nI wish I had been able to go to the concert.  \nIf only you had listened to my advice. You wouldn 't be in this mess.  \n3. A desire for someone or something to change or to do or stop doing something. He wishes you wouldn ’t/I wish you wouldn ’t/They wish she wouldn ’t etc.  \nThis type of I wish sentence expresses some kind of ANNOYANCE.  \nI wish + WOULD +infinitive  \nI wish you wouldn ’t smoke so much.  \nI wish the children would be quiet.  \nNOTE: You CANNOT use WOULD when the subject of the subordinate clause is the same as the subject of the main clause.  \n4. A wish that sb was able to do sthg which they can’t do.  \nI wish + COULD + infinitive I wish I could give up smoking.  \nI wish I could play the piano.  \nWishes about past ability or permission I wish + COULD + perfect infinitive  \nI wish I could have got a mortgage with a fixed interest rate.  \nWe do not use wish to express desires about a real possible future. We use hope instead.  \nI hope you have a pleasant stay here I hope the cheque arrives tomorrow.  \nSHOULD  \nShould + perfect infinitive can also be used to express regrets and criticisms about the past. We should have brought an umbrella. We are going to get soaking wet now. (Regret)  \nYou shouldn 't have spoken to him like that. I 'm not surprised he 's upset. (Criticism)  \nTHIRD/ MIXED CONDITIONALS  \nUsed to speculate about how things might have been different.  \nIf I hadn 't eaten that shellfish, I would have been fine. (Regret)  \nIf you had been paying attention, you might have understood what I was saying. (Criticism)  \nIf she had listened to me, she wouldn 't be in debt now. (Criticism) (mixed conditional)  \nPREFERENCE  \nFor past preference we can use these structures: would like/love/prefer to + perfect infinitive  \nwould have liked/ loved/ preferred to + infinitive or perfect infinitive We would like to have stayed longer but we had to catch the train. She would have loved to tell him what she thought of him.  \nShe would have loved to have told him what she thought of him.  \nIf the subject of would like etc is not the same as the subject of the verb which follows, an appropriate noun or object pronoun is inserted before the infinitive.  \nShe would have preferred him to say it to her face, rather than put it in a letter.  \nwould rather/ sooner + perfect infinitive is used for past preference.  \nWe stayed in a hotel but I 'd sooner have slept in a tent  \nIf the subject of would rather/sooner is not the same as the subject of the verb which follows, the past perfect is used.  \nWould you rather I hadn 't said anything about it to Matt?  \nVOCABULARY RELATED TO REGRETS  \nThis list provides an overview of vocabulary associated with regrets, encompassing various aspects of the emotion and its related concepts.  \n\n| Core Words: | Feelings Associated with | Actions Related to Regret: |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n|  | Regret: |  |\n| Regret (noun/verb) |  | Apologize |\n| Remorse | Sadness | Lament |\n| Guilt | Disappointment | Mourn |\n| Repentance | Sorrow | Repent |\n| Contrition | Anguish | Atone |\n| Rue | Grief | Make amends |\n|  | Shame |  |\n|  | Heartache |  |\n|  | Longing |  |\n|  | Nostalgia |  |\n| Expressions of Re","cbCaijDWjmGkyfgw","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaijDWjmGkyfgw","pdf",112152,"English","# REGRET\n# I WISH / IF ONLY\n## Past and present wishes\n## I wish + WOULD / COULD\n# SHOULD\n# THIRD / MIXED CONDITIONALS\n# PREFERENCE\n# VOCABULARY RELATED TO REGRETS","[{\"question\":\"How do you use regret + ing vs regret + to infinitive?\",\"answer\":\"Regret + ing expresses wanting something in the past to have been different. Regret + to infinitive is a polite or formal way to say you are sorry or sad about a situation, especially when delivering bad news.\"},{\"question\":\"What grammar patterns are used for I wish / If only?\",\"answer\":\"Use I wish/If only + Past Simple for a present or general situation you do not like, and I wish/If only + Past Perfect for things that did or did not happen in the past.\"},{\"question\":\"How do third and mixed conditionals relate to regrets and criticisms?\",\"answer\":\"They speculate about how situations might have been different. If the past outcome changes, the structures model regret, criticism, and other alternative possibilities.\"}]","WISHES & REGRETS EXPLANATIONS - REGRET | PDF",1790886782]