The past is finished. You cannot change it. But you can wish it had been different.

This is a regret. Use wish and the Past Perfect.

Look at five more sentences:

A wish says the opposite of what happened. Find what really happened first. Then say the opposite.

What really happened	The wish
I didn’t study.	I wish I had studied.
She didn’t take the job.	She wishes she had taken the job.
They didn’t leave early.	They wish they had left early.
I forgot her birthday.	I wish I hadn’t forgotten her birthday.
We sold the house.	We wish we hadn’t sold the house.
He said something unkind.	He wishes he hadn’t said it.

Use this simple test:

If only means the same as I wish. It is stronger. It shows a bigger regret.

The verb wish stays in the Present Simple. Add -es for he, she, and it. Only the second verb goes back.

For a negative, use hadn’t + the past participle.

For a question, use Do or Does with wish.

You can also wish about now. Then use the Past Simple after wish.

A wish moves one step back from reality. Now moves back to the Past Simple. The past moves back to the Past Perfect.

About now (wish + Past Simple)	About the finished past (wish + Past Perfect)
I wish I had a car. (I don’t have one.)	I wish I had bought a car. (I didn’t buy one.)
I wish I knew the answer. (I don’t know it.)	I wish I had known the answer. (I didn’t know it.)
I wish I lived near the beach. (I don’t.)	I wish I had lived near the beach. (I never did.)
I wish I spoke French. (I don’t speak it.)	I wish I had learned French. (I didn’t learn it.)
I wish I worked less. (I work a lot.)	I wish I had worked less last year. (I worked a lot.)

Look at the time word. It tells you which form to use.

Read the time word. Click the tense that completes the wish.

• 1
  I wish I French now. (speak)

  Past Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “Now” is the present. A wish about now uses the Past Simple.
• 2
  I wish I French when I was young. (learn)

  Past Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “When I was young” is a finished past time. Use the Past Perfect.
• 3
  If only I more time today. (have)

  Past Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “Today” is the present. A wish about now uses the Past Simple.
• 4
  He wishes he near the beach now. (live)

  Past Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “Now” is the present. A wish about now uses the Past Simple.
• 5
  If only she me yesterday. (call)

  Past Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “Yesterday” is finished. Use the Past Perfect.
• 6
  He wishes he the job last month. (take)

  Past Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “Last month” is finished. Use the Past Perfect.
• 7
  We wish we a bigger house today. (own)

  Past Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “Today” is the present. A wish about now uses the Past Simple.
• 8
  We wish we the house last year. (not sell)

  Past Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “Last year” is finished. Use the Past Perfect.

Type the correct verb form for the verb given.

• 1
  I wish I harder in school. (study)
• 2
  She wishes she him last night. (call)
• 3
  If only we earlier. (leave)
• 4
  I wish I the answer now. (know)
• 5
  He wishes he the truth. (tell)
• 6
  They wish they in Spain last summer. (stay)
• 7
  She wishes she more free time today. (have)
• 8
  She wishes she a different school. (choose)

Type the negative Past Perfect for the verb given.

• 1
  I wish I so much money on clothes. Now I have none. (not spend)
• 2
  She wishes she that. Now he is angry. (not say)
• 3
  If only we the car. Now we need one. (not sell)
• 4
  He wishes he his keys. Now he can’t get in. (not forget)
• 5
  He wishes he his job. Now he has no money. (not quit)
• 6
  I wish I the whole cake. Now I feel sick. (not eat)
• 7
  If only I so loudly. Now my throat hurts. (not talk)
• 8
  We wish we in that hotel. It was terrible. (not stay)

Type the missing words of speaker B’s question, using the words given.

• 1
  A: I failed the test.
  B: you had studied more? (you / wish)
• 2
  A: Tom lost his job last year.
  B: he had worked harder? (he / wish)
• 3
  A: Sara moved to Chicago.
  B: she hadn’t moved? (she / wish)
• 4
  A: We got to the station late.
  B: you had left earlier? (you / wish)
• 5
  A: I have a lot of regrets.
  B: What you had done differently? (you / wish)
• 6
  A: My parents bought a small house.
  B: What they had bought instead? (they / wish)
• 7
  A: Anna quit her job.
  B: What she had done instead? (she / wish)
• 8
  A: They ate too much at dinner.
  B: they hadn’t eaten so much? (they / wish)

Read what really happened. Click the wish that matches.

• 1
  I didn’t call her. I wish I her.

  had called hadn’t called

  ✓ Correct — You didn’t do it, so you wish you had done it.
• 2
  I sold my old car. I wish I it.

  had sold hadn’t sold

  ✓ Correct — You did it, so you wish you hadn’t done it.
• 3
  She didn’t take the job. She wishes she it.

  had taken hadn’t taken

  ✓ Correct — You didn’t do it, so you wish you had done it.
• 4
  They didn’t stay longer. They wish they longer.

  had stayed hadn’t stayed

  ✓ Correct — You didn’t do it, so you wish you had done it.
• 5
  We ate too much. We wish we so much.

  had eaten hadn’t eaten

  ✓ Correct — You did it, so you wish you hadn’t done it.
• 6
  He forgot his keys. He wishes he them.

  had forgotten hadn’t forgotten

  ✓ Correct — You did it, so you wish you hadn’t done it.
• 7
  I told her the secret. If only I her.

  had told hadn’t told

  ✓ Correct — You did it, so you wish you hadn’t done it.
• 8
  We didn’t ask for directions. If only we for directions.

  had asked hadn’t asked

  ✓ Correct — You didn’t do it, so you wish you had done it.

Read each question. Choose the sentence that matches.

• You didn’t do it → I wish I had done it.
• You did it → I wish I hadn’t done it.
• If only means the same as I wish, but it is stronger.
• Questions: Do / Does + subject + wish + subject + had + past participle.
• Wish about now: wish + Past Simple (I wish I knew the answer).
• Do not use would have after wish.

✓ Mark this lesson complete