English lesson | Wishes and regrets

In this English lesson, you will learn 4 structures to express wishes and regrets.
wish + past simple
= to describe a situation in the present that we would like to be different.
We use the past simple form, but our regret is in the present.
Example: I wish I had more friends.
wish + someone / something + "would" + base form of verb
= we want someone to change their behaviour
or
= we want something to happen
Example: I wish you would listen.
wish + past perfect
= to describe a past situation that we regret.
Example: I wish I had gone to the concert.
We can also use "never" with a negative to emphasise our regret:
Example: I wish I had never gone to the concert.
(I went to the concert. I really regret it now.)
"if only" + past perfect
= This is another way to describe situation from the past that we regret.
If only I had passed my exams.
(I didn't pass my exams. I regret it now.)
"if only" + past perfect
and
wish + past perfect
The meaning of the above 2 structures is the same.
The difference is that "if only" is slightly more formal.
There are lots of examples and detailed explanations in in the video. The accent is a British English accent.
Private English lessons and speaking practice with a native teacher: goo.gl/mvvu8b
IELTS online course with practice tests and ebook: bit.ly/2uIHrGn
Other English lessons:
Past simple: • Past simple tense | En...
Past perfect: • PAST PERFECT TENSE | E...
Verb "to be": • Verb "to BE" | English...
Playlists:
Grammar: • learn English grammar
Advice to improve your English: • How to improve your En...
Listening practice: • English listening prac...
Vocabulary: • learn English vocabulary
Andrew,
Crown Academy of English
Website: www.crownacadem...
Twitter: / crown_english
UA-cam: / crownacademyenglish
Photo credits by FreeDigitalPhotos.net:
"All The Best Guys!" by stockimages
“Man” by graur codrin
“Sad Man Looking At His Broken Car” by David Castillo Dominici

[@teebamohammad7142]

If only I had watched yor lesson in the past

[@fatimaezahraeelosrouti5662]

This channel literally saved my life ,so grateful for discovering it.

[@gacaladan5477]

If only I had a car, is that all?

[@AngelPerez-gx7nf]

I'm Spanish and the Andrews' lessons have helped a lot in order to understand properly a and almost perfectly the British grammar, so l'm absolutely convinced he's one the best teacher l ever meet.

[@fazilpeerally5288]

Hello Andrew !
Great. Thanks a lot. The video lesson about the 4 structures of wishes and regrets are meaningful and helpful. The way you extrapolate the topics with examples and photographs to have a better understanding are perfect and excellent. On that note, you deserve a good credit. You are an outstanding English teacher and a good linguist. Hats off to you !
I look forward to other similar video lesson soon.
My kindest regards,
Fazil

[@carolinasegurazavala9203]

Thank you. Really interesting. Your explanations are great. Next week we have English exams and your classes are very useful. Thanks again.

[@ilduarita09]

Thank you Andrew!!! You are an excellent teacher of English.

[@maryj7423]

Best explanation I found after 2 hours of searching the web, no joke!

[@megnam3923]

Thanks a million! The way you explain is fantabulous. I have no words to express my gratitude. Once again thank you very much 😊🙏

[@ЛераСкрынник-в4ш]

Thank you too much! 🤝😙💕💞💖

[@joelmasamba6762]

Thanks a lot about your great lesson my amazing teacher keep up the good work my amazing teacher keep up the good work!!! I've been learning more from you i wish i had Money to give you regarding the English lesson!!!

[@dr.ahmed2007]

Lier

[@hiimchris3398]

I wish i had watched this lesson yesterday before my test.

[@saidfarid6382]

Hello dear teacher
Thank you so much for your interesting information about English,i do appreciate your job.I wish you peace and happness under the sky of prosperity. Take care and have a good time.
All the best.
Your Student from Algeria.

[@a.u.i.sdivanjana427]

THANK YOU SO MUCH ANDREW!

[@laurarodriguez965]

You saved my life. Thanks.

[@SSPANZERGR]

If only I had known about this channel, before. Thanks, great explanation

[@mmme23]

Good evening, I've been told and read many times that the correct way to say it is " I wish I were", but here you said its " I wish i was". Which one would be the correct form? Thank you

[@mrsaddad4746]

Both of them are right

[@terminux._9087]

We have a test in English soon, on that :) I'm glad to understand your lesson because my english teacher is so bad, I'm French and I gotcha everything that you said, so I imagine, English people could arrive easy

[@carolinasegurazavala9203]

Nowadays, we have the same problem as you.

[@GauriV297991]

Hello sir. I've a question. Many other professors or teachers suggests that ' I wish I were rich ' is grammatically correct than 'I wish I was rich ' . Plz help out in clearing the confusion between Were and Was in these kind of 'wish' sentences.

[@d.p.1552]

The “correct” form would be to use ‘were’ because you are talking about a hipotetical/impossible/ unreal situation. It’s been a battle with the linguists because people are using it and it’s getting acceptance little by little.

[@veronika8746]

Thanks, your pronunciation is perfect!

[@sarahroumanos6431]

thank you so much for the video it helped me for my midterm exams

[@davidjohnny1310]

You teach very well. Thanks a lot dear teacher

[@marjanp4784]

I have read it somewhere - I wish I would have met him earlier.
Is it correct?
If I follow the instructions,it should be - I wish I had met him earlier.
Isn't it the right form?

[@teebamohammad7142]

I wish I watched your lessons from the beginning ' thanks Mr

[@dolonmal5213]

We wish we got a lesson on should have,would have and could have. It would be really great.

[@nhenguyen6514]

Thank you so much Andrew, but sorry, i don't understand about the final already. But anyway, i'm really grateful your passion. Thank you

[@marosya3978]

Thank u so much but
When we use could then?

[@veetveet8085]

Love you sr ...I am finding this type of video...I am from india....Love you sr

[@nourfarooki7079]

Hello Sir,
Can we use I wish I was rich/ I wish I were rich?
Also I need clarification in the use of If only. I think If only is used in a positive sense. Please explain.

[@tallrapp]

"I wish I were" rich is actually correct. The verb is not the past simple; it is actually the subjunctive. The difficulty is that the subjunctive in this structure uses the conjugation of the third person plural past. For most all verbs (excepting "to be"), the conjugation is the same as the simple past. Hence the confusion being spread. "If only I were in London," is also correct.

[@ingridpaima]

The lesson was very clear👍I enjoy it 😬thank you..

[@ngocthanhnguyen5446]

I wish I had watched such a high quality video like this earlier!!!

[@نورالهدى-ك8ع9ص]

Mille merci teacher Andrew for useful lessons you are so good as well as great god bless you my dear💖

[@soroushgfk980hesam]

Thanks for your learning❤❤

[@nourfarooki7079]

Ok. Very nice.
What about these two sentences? Are they correct?.
I wish I was/ were a doctor.
He wished he was/were a doctor.

[@rachend810]

Hey teacher Andrew!, why did you left us a lot of time?! ...I think I talked for all suscribers when I say that we miss your lessons!....I am glad to hear your voice again and I can continue learn english again ;) ...
Cheers!,
Raquel

[@sandrareginamaciqueirapere5500]

Excellent. Thanks

[@latedinn]

RLY GOOD THANKS PREMIERE MAN

[@creative6974]

Could we publish this video for commercial use if u allow to us .

[@mouradahmadi8750]

i wish i were watched your lessons in the past

[@عاشالمملكةالمغربيةاللهالوطنالم]

Its a great thank you very much teacher

[@engineerfuadmousa7665]

Very important topic
Thanks a lot Andrew 👍

[@drsamia8436]

Thank you so much it was so helpful

[@فاطمه-ث8م3ظ]

Excellent Excellent Excellent

[@evagelospapazacharias9112]

GREAT VIDEO. VERY HELPFUL

[@econonita5514]

Podrían hacer un video acerca de cómo usar "should and shouldn´t have"? Please

[@minazohra3628]

I think it's grammatically correct to say I wish I was but it's more appropriate to say I wish I were ...your opinion please?

[@andreakollarova9017]

I think the same! for example: I wish I were rich!

[@soroushbaharvand4513]

We can use were too for sImple past.

[@abubakramine5913]

in the second structure, Is it possible using the verb (hope) instead of (wish)? so, is it right to say: I hope they would send me the letter today.

[@mahmoudnaser7556]

Useful videos. Thanks for your efforts

[@michelesilvestri3672]

Nice lesson , as always, but if i said : I would like to have a house ... instead of I wish etc.. it would change in meaning ? Thx

[@taoufiqleuleu]

Thanks a lot .you are a great teacher.

[@arts4152]

Very useful for me thanks

[@ashemuller1928]

I ,m from,eretrian and i learning from these vido i wan't say thank you and continue

[@gitishirasb7874]

Thank you so much 👌👌💖💖💖

[@hasanemami9513]

I want to write four sentences about this lesson, please let me know if they are right?
I wish I was fluent in English.
I wis I had studied English at a university.
I wish you would help me to improve my English on Skype.
If only I had found your channel earlier.

[@MariaDor-i2w]

Thank you so much🙏

[@zorak3897]

Excuse me teacher but wich is the difference between "I wish I COULD" and "I wish I WOULD"?
Good video, it helps me a lot

[@mrsaddad4746]

Could is the past form of the modal can.
Would is the weak from of will

[@Boo-oe3hx]

About the 1st type (past simple) is it true that even when you use (I/he/she/it) you'll still be using the aux "to be " as : were ? I mean not was ???

[@diedall1027]

yes

[@chaymaelyrics8056]

Your British English sounds stunning ngl!

[@jojjoj4938]

Wha is ngl stand for?

[@chaymaelyrics8056]

@@jojjoj4938 it means "not going to lie "

[@uchihaitachi6648]

@@jojjoj4938 it means not gonna lie

[@momohey836]

Excuse me
Thank you so much for the great job
is it right to say I wish I was or I wish I were
Thanks in advance

[@fabiennethiburce662]

The correct form is "I were" and not "I was" although you can say it, but you cannot write it. This would be incorrect: the past simple "were" is used because it has never occurred

[@leenametilda7460]

Awesome stuff. Thanks a lot.

[@radhakrishnanpk7230]

Thank you very much.

[@basmalayousef7630]

Thank you

[@hadil8187]

Thank you 💕

[@leonorconi8870]

A.: please, the word "sold" is in the Past Parciple, because we are using the Perfect Tense? Sorry, I`m confused now..Thanks...29.8.2017

[@topegaye1741]

Very clear. Thank you

[@sethany5694]

Thanks for clear explanation

[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Thanks for your comment. I am happy that you like my English lessons.
Best wishes,
Andrew

[@samiamohamedabdel-lah3352]

I had understood it perfectly. You had explained it very well. Good explanation. Thanks!!

[@زهرةالربيع-ش5ر]

thank you teacher , it's very useful explanation

[@Bouchka291]

Thanks Andrew, video really useful for me.

[@cutiepig7773]

Thank you sir Thank you 💟

[@globuspallidus2457]

is it possible to say:
I wish they would have helped me?
'wish + sb/sb+ would + perfect infinitive'?

[@abdullahihusseinali6237]

Wonderful lessons thank you so much

[@angiecocoa]

How about "were", for example "I wish I were rich", isn't it correct?

[@altayebgamaraldawla652]

Thanks a lot of teacher

[@israrbabar9266]

thank you so much, Andrew Sir

[@longinamandrykcunha7364]

Thanks a lot

[@tewodroswolderufael7198]

it was very good thank you.

[@دروسالدعمالابتدائي-م1ض]

Thank you Teacher. Really I've injoyed for this lesson

[@mrsaddad4746]

We don't say for this lesson we say I've enjoyed this lesson

[@senethgiraldo6868]

Great explanation!!!

[@sainawhanmain3025]

I wish I had remembered this lesson in the past

[@hamzahm.marhoon9256]

thank you🌹🌹

[@caroquinsuazo4431]

Very good😊

[@imanerim989]

Thank you dear Andrew

[@yetsimarin]

Thanks Teacher, excellent!

[@hamdiyeozdogan3345]

i would like to ask you about different future wishes between could and would..for example
I wish i would fly to Paris or I wish iI could fly to Paris...thank you very much

[@dineshgomber9224]

very very important, thanks a lot

[@markcraftstudio6383]

do you have a video about "Subject-verb agreement?" Thank you

[@rabergeo4602]

Thanks for this useful lesson

[@McFraceOficial]

thank you so much for had made this video, i had this for homework, and this video has saved my life.

[@alsiddegalamin692]

Good

[@ndrndr22]

What's the difference between "I wish you called me" and "I wish you would call me"?

[@racha4960]

you can answer on my question please :
farmers should not put a lot of fertilisers on their crops the sooner the better
with wish

[@mobeckham]

RA Cha I wish farmers wouldn’t put a lot of fertilisers on their crops :)
Or you can say it in present I wish farmers didn’t put a lot of fertilisers on their crops :)
hope it’s helpful

[@joelmasamba6762]

I wish the french authorities could help our African brothers in Cyprus 😭😭😭😭😭

[@tamirislopes5078]

I loved it

[@wafaaaabid416]

I wish you were my teacher. you're awesome 😍

[@leonorconi8870]

Than for everything A., beatiful lesson...29.8.2017

[@ΗλίαςΧάλκος]

Thank you very much

[@fahimehmousazadeh1966]

Great. Thanks a lot

[@joaquinmontenegroperdomo5278]

Thank you!!

[@haidikhan8882]

Sir u r the best

[@vanesarojas2943]

I wish i spoke english more confidently without thinking so much

[@Rh-pz3eb]

Same as me!😉

[@fatimaalsharafi4773]

Thank you so much 😊