Casa · B2 Upper Intermediate · Lesson 2 of 20 · Step 1

Ethics & Dilemmas

Wish / If Only + Past Perfect

Express regret about past actions using wish and if only with the past perfect
Distinguish between wish + past simple (present regrets) and wish + past perfect (past regrets)
Discuss ethical dilemmas and moral reasoning using advanced wish structures

Words · tap a card to see it used

Grammar

Wish / If only + past perfect

Use 'wish + past perfect' or 'if only + past perfect' to express regret about something that happened (or didn't happen) in the past. The past perfect shows the action is finished and cannot be changed. Compare: 'I wish I spoke French' (present regret — I don't speak French now) vs 'I wish I had spoken up' (past regret — I didn't speak up and I regret it).

I wish I had told the truth from the beginning.

If only the company had acted sooner, the damage could have been avoided.

She wishes she hadn't signed the agreement without reading it carefully.

If only they had listened to the warnings, the crisis wouldn't have escalated.

Exercises · type, then check

1. Complete each sentence using wish or if only with the past perfect.

1.I (wish / not ignore) the warning signs earlier.

2.If only the board (act) on the complaint when it was first raised.

3.She (wish / speak) up during the meeting, but she stayed silent.

4.If only we (consider) the ethical implications before launching the product.

5.He (wish / not trust) his colleague with confidential information.

2. Match the beginning of each sentence with its correct ending.

1.I wish I had reported the fraud

2.If only the government had regulated the industry

3.She wishes she had consulted a lawyer

4.If only he had been honest

5.They wish they had invested in safety measures

0 of 10 answered · nothing you type leaves this device

Reading

The Price of Silence

In 2015, a mid-level engineer at a manufacturing firm discovered that the company was dumping toxic waste into a nearby river. She faced an agonising dilemma: if she reported the violation, she risked losing her job and being blacklisted in the industry. If she remained silent, the contamination would continue to harm the local community. After weeks of deliberation, she chose to contact an environmental agency anonymously. The investigation that followed led to heavy fines and a complete overhaul of the company's waste management practices. Looking back, the engineer says she wishes she had acted sooner. 'If only I hadn't hesitated for so long, the river wouldn't have suffered as much damage,' she reflected. Her case reignited a national debate about whistleblower protections and corporate accountability. Many argued that individuals should never have to choose between their livelihood and their conscience.

1. Why did the engineer hesitate before reporting the violation?

2. What does the engineer regret, and how does she express this?

Speaking · say it out loud, with a partner or alone

1Discuss a time when you or someone you know faced a moral dilemma. What happened? Looking back, do you wish you had done anything differently? Use wish/if only structures.

2Debate: 'Whistleblowers should always be protected by law, regardless of the consequences for the organisation.' Discuss using examples and express regrets about historical cases.

Writing

Write 5–8 sentences describing a decision — real or hypothetical — that someone might regret. Use at least three examples of wish/if only + past perfect.

0 words

Finished?

Check your exercises first, then mark the lesson done.