grammar · neutral

wish + past perfect

Band 5-6speakingtask2

Use 'wish + past perfect' to express regret about a past event that cannot be changed.

Examples

“I wish I had studied harder for the test.”

“She wishes she had told him the truth sooner.”

“They wish they had booked tickets earlier.”

Band 8 sentence

“I wish I had taken that internship when I had the chance; it would have changed my career path.”

Collocations

  • wish + subject + had + past participle

Common mistakes

I wish I studied harder last year.→I wish I had studied harder last year.

She wishes she told him earlier.→She wishes she had told him earlier.

Say it for a higher band

5I regret + past simple→6I wish + past simple (wrong for past)→7+wish + past perfect

Synonyms

regret + -ing

Easily confused

If only + past perfect

“If only I had left earlier.”

Related words

have / has + past participlesubject + V(s) (simple present)be about to + base verbbe + V-ingso + adjective/adverb + that + clauseIf + present perfect, will + base verbNot only + clause, but also + clausewill have been + V-ing

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In Tenses

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