Using wish to talk about the past – Lesson
In English, using the verb “wish” followed by a past perfect tense is a powerful way to express regret or a desire for a situation in the past to have been different. This construction helps convey feelings or hypothetical thoughts about events that have already occurred. It’s important for ESL learners to master this usage because it not only enhances fluency but also allows for more expressive communication about past regrets or unfulfilled wishes.
(If you want to see how to use wish in the present tense, click here)
This form is used when right now you are thinking about or wishing that something in the past happened differently. You think about something that cannot be changed, almost like a dream or a regret.
use wish (that) + subject + had (not) + past participle
Examples:
I wish I had gone to Australia last year. (Now you regret you didn’t go to Australia last year.)
James wishes he had studied harder. (Now you wish you studied more before.)
The students wish their teacher hadn’t given them homework. (Now the students feel bad that their teacher gave homework before.)
Alice wishes she hadn’t eaten so much pie. (Now Alice feels sick. She wonders why she ate so much pie before.)
Test your understanding of using “wish” to talk about the past with these five questions. Each sentence needs to be completed using the correct form of “wish” and the appropriate verb tense:
Check Your Understanding
| Write a sentence using wish in the past. Two examples are given to you. Examples: Henry didn’t do his work. Now his boss is angry. Answer: Henry wishes he had done his work.Melanie swam in the lake. Now she is cold. Answer: Melanie wishes she hadn’t swum in the lake. 1. Jeff didn’t wake up on time. Now he is late. ______________________________________________________________ 2. Tony and Chris went camping. Now it is raining. ______________________________________________________________ 3. Martha didn’t eat dinner. Now she is hungry. ______________________________________________________________ 4. I lied to my friend. Now my friend won’t talk to me. ______________________________________________________________ 5. We didn’t finish cleaning the house. Now all of our guests have arrived and we are embarrassed. ______________________________________________________________ |
Answer Key:
- Jeff wishes he had waken up on time.
- Tony and Chris wish they hadn’t gone camping.
- Martha wishes she had eaten dinner.
- I wish I hadn’t lied to my friend.
- We wish we had finished cleaning the house.
Frequently Asked Questions About Using wish to talk about the past:
To express regret about the past, use “wish” followed by the past perfect tense. For example: “I wish I had studied harder for the exam.” This sentence expresses regret that you did not study harder.
Yes, you can use “wish” to express regret about someone else’s actions in the past. For example, “I wish you hadn’t left the party early.” This implies a regrettable action performed by someone else.
No, when talking about the past, “wish” should be followed by the past perfect. Using the simple past can lead to grammatical errors. For instance, saying “I wish I knew” about a past event should correctly be “I wish I had known.”
“Wish” and “if only” can often be used interchangeably, but “if only” is usually used for stronger emotions and emphasis. For example, “If only I had saved more money!” emphasizes a greater level of regret or longing.
No, “wish” in the past perfect tense is used for hypothetical situations—things you desire would have been different. It’s not used for situations that actually occurred as desired.