Explanations + Extra Practice
4 Expressions to show REGRET.
Here’s an explanation of how to use each expression to show regret, plus ways to combine them for a stronger, more cohesive expression:
1. “I should have…”
- This expression is used to talk about something you regret not doing. It suggests that you think a different action would have been better.
- Example: “I should have gone to the party.” (You regret that you didn’t go to the party.)
2. “I wish I had…”
- This phrase is similar but focuses more on a feeling of longing or disappointment about the past. It emphasizes your regret about what didn’t happen.
- Example: “I wish I had gone to the party.” (You feel disappointed that you missed the party.)
3. Third Conditionals
- Third conditionals express hypothetical situations about the past and their possible outcomes. They follow this pattern: If + past perfect, would have + past participle.
- Example: “If I had gone to the party, I would have seen many of my old friends.” (You regret that you didn’t go, and you imagine how things might have been different if you had.)
4. Mixed Conditionals
- Mixed conditionals combine the past with the present. They talk about a past situation that affects the present. The pattern is often If + past perfect, would + base verb.
- Example: “If I had gone to the party, I would be happier now.” (You regret not going, and this regret affects how you feel today.)
Combining Expressions for Stronger Regret
You can combine these expressions to make a complete and powerful statement of regret. Here are some examples:
- “I should have…” + Third Conditional
- “I should have gone to the party. If I had been there, I would have seen many of my old friends.”
- This combination uses “should have” to express regret and the third conditional to imagine the positive outcome that could have happened.
- “I wish I had…” + Third Conditional
- “I wish I had gone to the party. If I had been there, I would have had a great time.”
- This emphasizes both the disappointment (“I wish I had…”) and the possible outcome using the third conditional.
- “I should have…” + Mixed Conditional
- “I should have gone to the party. If I had gone, I would feel more connected with my friends now.”
- This combination shows regret about the past with “should have” and how it affects the present using a mixed conditional.
- “I wish I had…” + Mixed Conditional
- “I wish I had gone to the party. If I had gone, I wouldn’t feel lonely now.”
- This emphasizes a feeling of regret (“I wish I had…”) and explains how the past decision impacts the present.
Using these structures together helps you express complex feelings of regret in English and gives more depth to what you want to say.
Extra Practice!
Here are practice situations with answer keys at the end of each section.
1. “I should have…”
- For each situation, students create sentences to express regret using either the positive or negative form of “I should have…”
Situations:
- You didn’t study for an important exam and failed.
- You forgot to call your friend on their birthday.
- You ate too much junk food and feel sick.
- You bought something expensive that you don’t need.
- You didn’t bring an umbrella, and now it’s raining.
- You stayed up late watching movies and are tired today.
- You didn’t finish your work on time and missed a deadline.
- You were rude to someone, and now you feel bad.
- You didn’t exercise regularly and feel out of shape.
- You ignored your friend’s advice, and things went wrong.
Answer Key:
- “I should have studied for the exam.”
- “I should have called my friend.”
- “I shouldn’t have eaten so much junk food.”
- “I shouldn’t have spent so much money.”
- “I should have brought an umbrella.”
- “I shouldn’t have stayed up so late.”
- “I should have finished my work earlier.”
- “I shouldn’t have been rude.”
- “I should have exercised more.”
- “I should have listened to my friend.”
2. “I wish I had…”
- For each situation, students create sentences to express regret about things they did or didn’t do using either the positive or negative form of “I wish I had…”
Situations:
- You didn’t learn a musical instrument when you were younger.
- You forgot to pack something important for a trip.
- You didn’t try harder in school and regret it now.
- You didn’t keep in touch with an old friend.
- You said something hurtful during an argument.
- You moved to a new city and miss your old home.
- You didn’t save money, and now you’re struggling financially.
- You didn’t travel when you had the chance.
- You bought a new car, but it turned out to be unreliable.
- You didn’t stand up for yourself in a situation and regret it.
Answer Key:
- “I wish I had learned to play the piano.”
- “I wish I had packed my camera.”
- “I wish I had worked harder in school.”
- “I wish I had kept in touch with my friend.”
- “I wish I hadn’t said those things.”
- “I wish I hadn’t moved away.”
- “I wish I had saved more money.”
- “I wish I had traveled more.”
- “I wish I hadn’t bought that car.”
- “I wish I had spoken up.”
3. Third Conditionals
- For each situation, students create sentences to imagine a different past outcome using the third conditional structure. (If + past perfect, would have + past participle)
Situations:
- You didn’t attend a job interview, so you didn’t get the job.
- You didn’t study hard, so you didn’t pass the test.
- You left the house late, and you missed the train.
- You didn’t save any money, so you couldn’t go on vacation.
- You didn’t tell someone how you felt, so nothing changed.
- You were careless, and you lost something valuable.
- You didn’t practice a skill, so you weren’t prepared.
- You ignored advice, and the situation got worse.
- You spent too much time online, and you missed an event.
- You didn’t eat breakfast, and you felt sick later.
Answer Key:
- “If I had attended the interview, I would have gotten the job.”
- “If I had studied harder, I would have passed the test.”
- “If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have missed the train.”
- “If I had saved money, I could have gone on vacation.”
- “If I had told them how I felt, things might have changed.”
- “If I hadn’t been careless, I wouldn’t have lost it.”
- “If I had practiced, I would have been prepared.”
- “If I had followed the advice, things wouldn’t have gotten worse.”
- “If I hadn’t spent so much time online, I would have made it to the event.”
- “If I had eaten breakfast, I wouldn’t have felt sick.”
4. Mixed Conditionals
- For each situation, students create sentences to express how a past action affects the present using mixed conditionals. (If + past perfect, would + base verb)
Situations:
- You didn’t finish your work on time, and now you feel stressed.
- You missed an opportunity to invest, and now you regret it.
- You didn’t exercise, and now you’re out of shape.
- You didn’t learn a second language, and now it’s harder for you to travel.
- You didn’t take a job offer, and now you’re unhappy at your current job.
- You didn’t make new friends when you moved, and now you feel lonely.
- You ate too much fast food, and now you’re unhealthy.
- You spent all your savings, and now you’re struggling financially.
- You ignored advice about studying, and now you don’t have good options.
- You skipped networking events, and now you have fewer career connections.
Answer Key:
- “If I had finished my work on time, I wouldn’t feel so stressed now.”
- “If I had invested, I wouldn’t regret it now.”
- “If I had exercised, I would be in better shape now.”
- “If I had learned a second language, it would be easier for me to travel now.”
- “If I had taken the job offer, I would be happier now.”
- “If I had made friends, I wouldn’t feel lonely now.”
- “If I hadn’t eaten so much fast food, I would be healthier now.”
- “If I hadn’t spent all my savings, I wouldn’t be struggling now.”
- “If I had studied harder, I would have better options now.”
- “If I had attended networking events, I would have more connections now.”
Even MORE Practice!
1. Combined Expressions with “I should have…” and Third Conditionals
- Students combine “I should have…” with a third conditional, using both positive and negative forms.
Situations:
- You stayed up late, and now you’re exhausted.
- You didn’t attend a networking event, so you didn’t meet potential employers.
- You spent too much time on your phone, so you missed your friend’s calls.
- You didn’t bring extra money, and you couldn’t buy a souvenir.
- You stayed silent when you should have spoken up for yourself.
Answer Key:
- “I should have gone to bed early. If I had rested properly, I would feel more energetic today.”
- “I should have attended the networking event. If I had gone, I might have met people who could help me with my career.”
- “I shouldn’t have spent so much time on my phone. If I had paid attention, I would have noticed my friend’s calls.”
- “I should have brought extra money with me. If I had been prepared, I would have been able to buy a souvenir.”
- “I should have spoken up for myself. If I had voiced my thoughts, others would have understood my perspective.”
2. Combined Expressions with “I wish I had…” and Third Conditionals
- Students combine “I wish I had…” with a third conditional, using both positive and negative forms.
Situations:
- You didn’t take a job offer abroad, and now you’re stuck in a job you dislike.
- You didn’t study harder in school, so now you’re struggling in your career.
- You didn’t buy a gift for your friend, and now you feel bad.
- You didn’t save for a rainy day, and now you’re financially stressed.
- You didn’t visit your family last holiday, and now you miss them a lot.
Answer Key:
- “I wish I had accepted the job offer abroad. If I had moved, I would have gained valuable experience and enjoyed a new environment.”
- “I wish I had studied harder in school. If I had made more effort back then, I would feel more confident in my career now.”
- “I wish I had bought a gift for my friend. If I had thought of it, I wouldn’t feel guilty for missing the occasion.”
- “I wish I had saved more money for emergencies. If I had set aside funds, I would feel more secure during tough times.”
- “I wish I had visited my family over the holiday. If I had spent time with them, I would feel more connected and less lonely now.”
3. Combined Expressions with “I should have…” and Mixed Conditionals
- Students combine “I should have…” with a mixed conditional, using both positive and negative forms.
Situations:
- You didn’t take care of a minor injury, and now it’s worse.
- You didn’t tell your friend how you felt, and now you feel frustrated.
- You didn’t save for emergencies, and now you’re stressed about money.
- You stayed up all night, and now you’re tired at work.
- You didn’t spend more time on a project, and now it’s incomplete.
Answer Key:
- “I should have treated my injury when it was minor. If I had done that, it wouldn’t be causing me pain now.”
- “I should have told my friend how I felt. If I had shared my feelings, I would feel more at peace today.”
- “I should have saved for emergencies. If I had put aside some money, I wouldn’t be worrying about finances now.”
- “I shouldn’t have stayed up all night. If I had gotten some sleep, I would feel more focused at work today.”
- “I should have worked more on the project. If I had dedicated more time to it, it would be finished by now.”
4. Combined Expressions with “I wish I had…” and Mixed Conditionals
- Students combine “I wish I had…” with a mixed conditional, using both positive and negative forms.
Situations:
- You didn’t ask for advice, and now you regret your decision.
- You didn’t keep up with a new language, and now you struggle to speak it.
- You didn’t take a chance on a unique career path, and now you’re dissatisfied.
- You didn’t start saving for retirement, and now you’re worried.
- You didn’t accept an invitation to an event, and now you regret missing it.
Answer Key:
- “I wish I had asked for advice before making that choice. If I had considered others’ input, I would feel more confident in my decision now.”
- “I wish I had practiced the new language consistently. If I had kept up with it, I would be able to speak it fluently now.”
- “I wish I had explored that unique career path. If I had given it a try, I might feel more fulfilled in my work today.”
- “I wish I had started saving for retirement earlier. If I had built up my savings, I would feel more prepared for the future now.”
- “I wish I had accepted the invitation to the event. If I had gone, I would have shared in some great memories with everyone.”