Wish and If only for regrets Wish and ‘If only’ are both used to talk ab Talking about the present out regrets – things that we would like to change either about the past or the present. · If only I didn’t have so much homework I could go to the concert tonight. She has a lot of homework and she can’t go to the concert. · I wish you didn’t live so far away. · I wish I knew what to do. When we talk about present regrets, both wish and if only are followed by the past simple tense. The past tense emphasises that we are talking about something ‘unreal’. Talking about the past · I wish I’d studied harder when I was at school. He didn’t study harder when he was at school. · I wish I hadn’t eaten all that chocolate. I feel sick. · If only I’d known you were coming. Both wish and if only are followed by the past perfect tense when we talk about past regrets. Wish/if only and would We use wish + wou