If only there was a podcast that would answer my questions about English. I wish I could send a voice message and get an answer.
Well, there is and you can! We’re talking about wishes and regrets today and explaining expressions like ‘If only…’ and ‘I wish…’.

Voice message from José Ignacio from Chile

He’s back home in Chile after his European tour. Which three cities do you think were his favourite?

Krakow, Poland. Budapest, Hungary. Bruges, Belgium

Voice message from Andrés from Colombia

I wish…
I would have (would’ve)
If I hadn’t…

In episode 223, we spoke about the use of ‘I wish’ and ‘If only’ to talk about regrets.
Wishes, Desires and Regrets: https://inglespodcast.com/223

I wish you hadn’t asked this question!

Regrets about the past: wish/if only + past perfect

Examples
I wish I had studied grammar at school.
If only I had/I’d studied grammar at school!
She wishes she had/she’d taken her sister’s advice, but she didn’t.
They wish he had/he’d asked them for permission before taking the keys.
If only you had not/you hadn’t drunk so much whisky last night.
We wish we had not/hadn’t been driving so fast when the accident happened.
You can also use should have and the verb ‘to regret’

I should have AND I should not/shouldn’t have… (+ past participle)
I should have/should’ve studied harder.
I shouldn’t have eaten so many chocolate biscuits.
At school we should not/shouldn’t have misbehaved so much..
I should have/should’ve been working when the boss walked in the room. He was angry.

I regret…/I regret not…. (+ gerund/noun)
I regret going to that restaurant.
They regret their bad idea.
I regret not ordering the steak.
Now we regret not listening to you – you were right.
I regret you deciding to leave me.
She regrets her family moving home – she preferred her old place.

What regrets do you have?

I regret…../I regret not……
I wish I had/hadn’t…
If only I had/hadn’t…

Are regrets a waste of time? Shouldn’t we live in the present?

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English.
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In next week’s episode: Clothes Idioms

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The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’