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Wish - past

 
 
 
 

Form

subject + wish + subject + had + past participle (past perfect)

I wish I hadn't said that.
 

expressing regrets about the past

You can use wish + past perfect to express a regret about something that happened in the past.
The past perfect is used to show that what you wish is unreal:

Reality: I lost the book. (Past simple tense)
Wish: I wish I hadn't lost the book.

Reality: I didn't go to the party. (Past simple tense)
Wish: I wish I had gone to the party.

Reality: I said something unkind to Sally.
Wish: I wish I hadn't said that.
 
ESL quizzes for wish - past
quiz


Comparison with <i>as</i>...</i>as...</as>