| Expressions | Examples |
| If only + the past perfect | – If only I had prepared well for the exam. (=I’m not satisfied with my grade.) – If only she hadn’t slept so late. (= She has a headache because of that.) |
| Wish + the past perfect | – I wish I had worked harder. – She wishes she hadn’t wasted time talking to her ungrateful neighbor. |
| Conditional Type 3 | – If I had prepared well for the exam, I would have had a better grade. – He wouldn’t have had a stomachache if he hadn’t eaten too much. – If Jack hadn’t missed the bus, he could have arrived on time. |
| Regret | – James regrets buying that car. It was just a waste of money. – They regret traveling to Brazil. It wasn’t that special. |
| Should have | – I should have visited her at the hospital. – He shouldn’t have slept so late. |
