Regret/wish

Question

Are these sentences using regret and wish correct?1. I regret that they don’t live in harmony. - I wish they lived in harmony.2. I regret that it won’t last long. - I wish it would last long.3. I regret that he didn’t have any profit. - I wish he had had some profit4. I regret that we aren’t free to do whatever we want. - I wish we were free to do whatever we want.5.  I regret that they can’t increase the production. - I wish they could increase the production.6. I regret that I didn’t attend the meeting. - I wish had attended the meeting. 7. I regret that you won’t marry my sister. - I wish you would marry my sister.8. I regret that I won’t work for the government. - I wish I would work for the government.9. I regret that he didn’t have time meet his father. - I wish he had had time to meet his father.10. I regret that I won’t travel by train. - I wish I would travel by train.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

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6. I regret that I didn’t attend the meeting. - I wish I had attended the meeting.
8. I regret that I won't work for the government. - I wish I could work for the government.
9. I regret that he didn’t have time to meet his father. - I wish he had had time to meet his father.
10. I regret that I won’t travel by train. - I wish I could travel by train.
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Anonymous · Answer

Thank you. But why do I have to use could instead of would in nºs: 8 and 10?

Chal

Rconard · Answer

AnonymousAre these sentences using regret and wish correct?

1. I regret that they don’t live in harmony. - I wish they lived in harmony.
Correct.

2. I regret that it won’t last long. - I wish it would last long.
Correct.

3. I regret that he didn’t have any profit. - I wish he had had some profit.
Could be different.
I regret that he didn't earn money. I wish he had earned money.
I regret that he didn't make a profit. I wish he had made a profit.

4. I regret that we aren’t free to do whatever we want. - I wish we were free to do whatever we want.
Correct.

5. I regret that they can’t increase the production. - I wish they could increase the production.
Correct.

6. I regret that I didn’t attend the meeting. - I wish had attended the meeting.
Correct.

7. I regret that you won’t marry my sister. - I wish you would marry my sister.
Correct.

8. I regret that I won’t work for the government. - I wish I would work for the government.
Incorrect. The sentence kind of makes sense, but you're using the words wrong.
If you refuse to work for the government then you wouldn't regret that because you're choosing to NOT do it.
A more proper way to say it would be:
I regret that I can't work for the government. I wish I could work for the government.
I regret that I didn't work for the government. I wish I had worked for the government.

9. I regret that he didn’t have time meet his father. - I wish he had had time to meet his father.
Incorrect. The phrase "had had" can be used, but there are better ways to word it to make it sound and look better.
I wish he had the time to meet his father.
I wish he had time to meet his father.
I wish he had made time to meet his father.

10. I regret that I won’t travel by train. - I wish I would travel by train.
Incorrect. Like I said above, the word "won't" is a refusal to do something. If you're refusing to travel by train then why would you regret that?
It should be:
I regret that I can't travel by train. I wish I could travel by train.

Many thanks,
Chal

Hope this helps. Remember, I'm not a linguist this just my opinion as a native English speaker.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi rconard

Thank you for your comments. For sure they are a great help for me, too!

So it means that "won't" will always express refusal? If so, when I say e.g.:

"He won't travel because he has no money" must be changed to: "he can't travel because he has no money";

"She won't go out tonight because she's not feeling well" must be changed to: "She can't go out tonight because she's not feeling well." and so on ?

Thank you,
Chal

Rconard · Answer

AnonymousThank you. But why do I have to use could instead of would in nºs: 8 and 10?

Chal

The word "could" implies that you can do something but you're not going to, the same as refusal. For example:

I could ride my bike, but I don't want to.

The word "would" implies that you want to do something but can't. For example:

I would go to work today, but I am very sick.

Rconard · Answer

AnonymousHi rconard

Thank you for your comments. For sure they are a great help for me, too!
So it means that "won't" will always express refusal? If so, when I say e.g.:

"He won't travel because he has no money" must be changed to: "he can't travel because he has no money";

"She won't go out tonight because she's not feeling well" must be changed to: "She can't go out tonight because she's not feeling well." and so on ?

Thank you,
Chal

You're close. The words "won't" and "can't" both imply refusal to do something, but they're used different. Technically the sentences you typed above are all correct, but they all have different meanings.

If you WON'T do something, then you're totally refusing to do it for whatever reason.
If you CAN'T do something, then you're refusing to do it typically because something is impairing you.

For example:

"He won't travel because he has no money."
This is implying that he is refusing to travel because he can not afford it.

"He can't travel because he has no money."
This is implying that he wants to travel but can not afford to do so.

"She won't go out tonight because she's not feeling well."
This implies that she is refusing to go out because she is sick. Even though she could go out regardless of how she feels, she is refusing to go out because of that reason.

"She can't go out tonight because she's not feeling well."
This implies that she wants to go out tonight but she's too sick to do so.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi rconard!

Many thanks for the explanation, even though it's not something so easy to understand at a first sight.

Best wishes,
Chal

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