Wishes, regrets and unreal conditions

2	The past

Grammar

We can use 'wish' to express regret about something that happened in the past,
or something that didn't happen in the past. 

Wish is followed by a clause in the past perfect tense which expresses the opposite of the reality.

Reality : I didn't pass the exam.
I wish (that) I had passed the exam.

Reality : I spent a lot of money.
I wish (that) I hadn't spent so much money.

Examples

Doris is unhappy with her life.  
The background.

Doris left school without finishing Form 5.
Her teachers told her she should stay at school but she didn't listen to them.
Doris had a boyfriend called Gilbert, who worked in a bank. But she thought he was boring.
She met Raymond in a pub.
Her mum told her Raymond was no good.
Raymond told Doris he would start his own business and soon be rich.
Doris got pregnant and married Raymond when she was 18.
She had her first baby when she was 19.

Doris's regrets

I wish I ________________Form 5.
I wish I __________________to my teachers.
I wish I __________________Gilbert.
I wish I ____________________Raymond.
I wish I __________________a baby so young.

Possible answers

I wish I had finished Form 5.
I wish I had listened to my teachers.
I wish I had married Gilbert.
I wish I hadn't married Raymond.
I wish I hadn't had a baby so young.

Third conditional

We can use the third conditional to explain regrets about the past.

If I had listened to my teachers, I would have finished Form 5.
If I had finished Form 5, I could get a better job.
If I had married Gilbert, I would be better off now.
If I hadn't had a baby so young, I would have more freedom.

Notice that the result clause can refer to the past:

subject + modal auxiliary verb + have + past participle

'I would have finished Form 5'

Or is can refer to the present :

subject + modal auxiliary verb  +  bare infinitive

'I would be better off now.

The modal auxiliary verbs are 'would', 'could' and 'might' depending on the degree of certainty.

If I'd studied harder, I would have passed the exam. (I'm sure)
If I'd passed the exam, I might have found a better job (It's a possibility, but not certain)