| Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready? |
| I wish that client |
| to the manager. |
| I wish that client |
| to the manager. |
| hadn't complained |
| hadn't complained |
| I wish that client hadn't complained to the manager. |
| I wish that client hadn't complained to the manager. |
| In this sentence, the speaker is regretting the fact that the client complained. The complaint already happened in the past, and the speaker wishes it had not happened. |
| That’s why we use the past perfect: |
| had not (hadn't) + past participle (complained) |
| Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready? |
| If only |
| that invoice on time. |
| If only |
| that invoice on time. |
| I'd sent |
| I'd sent |
| If only I'd sent that invoice on time. |
| If only I'd sent that invoice on time. |
| "I'd sent" is correct because we use "If only + past perfect" to show regret about a past action that didn’t happen. |
| "I sent" is incorrect here because it's simple past, and we need past perfect after "If only" when talking about regrets about the past. |
| Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready? |
| I missed the deadline. I wish I |
| earlier. |
| I missed the deadline. I wish I |
| earlier. |
| had started |
| had started |
| I missed the deadline. I wish I had started earlier. |
| I missed the deadline. I wish I had started earlier. |
| Had started is correct because we use "I wish + past perfect" to talk about regrets about the past. |
| The speaker didn’t start early enough and now regrets it. |
| Started is incorrect because it’s in the simple past, which we don’t use with 'I wish' to talk about past regrets. It doesn’t clearly express that the regret is about something that didn’t happen.. |
| Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready? |
| If only we |
| that deal. |
| If only we |
| that deal. |
| hadn't signed |
| hadn't signed |
| If only we hadn't signed that deal. |
| If only we hadn't signed that deal. |
| Hadn't signed is correct because "If only + past perfect" expresses regret about something that already happened. The speaker regrets signing the deal in the past. |
| Didn't sign is incorrect because it's in the simple past tense, which doesn’t clearly express regret about a past action. It sounds more like a neutral past statement, not a regret. |
| Unscramble the words to make a sentence. |
| Ready? |
| If |
| If only |
| If only you |
| If only you had |
| If only you had warned |
| If only you had warned me |
| If only you had warned me about |
| If only you had warned me about the |
| If only you had warned me about the heat. |
| If only you had warned me about the heat. |
| Unscramble the words to make a sentence. |
| I |
| I wish |
| I wish I'd |
| I wish I'd prepared |
| I wish I'd prepared for |
| I wish I'd prepared for the |
| I wish I'd prepared for the heat. |
| I wish I'd prepared for the heat. |
| Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready? |
| I wish I hadn't (scheduled or schedule) that lunch. |
| I wish I hadn't (scheduled or schedule) that lunch. |
| scheduled |
| scheduled |
| I wish I hadn't scheduled that lunch. |
| Scheduled is correct because after "hadn't" (past perfect), we need the past participle form of the verb. |
| Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready? |
| I wish someone had (shown or show) me the copy paper. |
| I wish someone had (shown or show) me the copy paper. |
| shown |
| shown |
| I wish someone had shown me the copy paper. |
| Shown is correct because after "had" (past perfect), we always use the past participle form of the verb. |
| Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready? |
| I wish I (hadn't forgotten or didn’t forget) the meeting. |
| I wish I (hadn't forgotten or didn’t forget) the meeting. |
| hadn't forgotten |
| hadn't forgotten |
| I wish I hadn't forgotten the meeting. |
| Hadn't forgotten is correct because we use "I wish + past perfect" to express regret about something that already happened. |
| In this case, the meeting was missed, and the speaker regrets forgetting it. |
| Didn’t forget is incorrect here because it’s simple past. |
| Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready? |
| If only I (wouldn’t have or hadn't) said that in the meeting. |
| If only I (wouldn’t have or hadn't) said that in the meeting. |
| hadn't |
| hadn't |
| If only I hadn't said that in the meeting. |
| 'Wouldn’t have said' is incorrect here because 'If only' needs the past perfect (had + past participle) to express regret. 'Wouldn’t have' is a modal perfect, which we don’t use after 'If only' to show regret. |
| Listen to what I say. Match the past perfect verb used in the sentence with its infinitive form on the right. |
| I wish someone had shown me the copy paper. |
| Listen one more time. |
| I wish someone had shown me the copy paper. |
| Did you hear, "shown"? "shown" is the past perfect form of show. |
| How about...? |
| If only I hadn't said that in the meeting. |
| Let’s listen one more time. |
| If only I hadn't said that in the meeting. |
| Did you hear "said"? "said" is the past perfect form of say. |
| Next... |
| I wish I'd prepared for the heat. |
| One more time. |
| I wish I'd prepared for the heat. |
| Did you hear "prepared"? "prepared" is the past perfect form of prepare. |
| Next... |
| I missed the deadline. I wish I had started earlier. |
| One more time. |
| I missed the deadline. I wish I had started earlier. |
| Did you hear "started"? "started" is the past perfect form of start. |
| And... |
| If only I'd sent that invoice on time. |
| One more time. |
| If only I'd sent that invoice on time. |
| Did you hear "sent"? "sent" is the past perfect form of send. |
| Thank you for watching. |
| Now you know how to express regrets about business decisions in English. |
| ...and now you can move on to the next lesson in the pathway on EnglishClass101.com. |
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