I Wish / If Only Exercises (Wishes and Regrets) – With Answers

I Wish / If Only Exercises (Wishes and Regrets) – With Answers

Quick Review – I Wish / If Only

We use I wish and If only to talk about wishes, regrets, and things that are different from reality.

  • Present wishes → past simple
    • I wish I were taller.
  • Past regrets → past perfect
    • I wish I had studied harder.
  • Complaints → would + verb
    • I wish you would stop talking.

If only is stronger and more emotional, but the grammar is the same.

Now try the exercises below.

Grammar Practice: If Only I Wish Exercises

Please do the exercises and click the button to check your answers. You may want to read the lesson about the use of “If Only/I Wish” before starting the exercise.

Note: If you want more grammar practice on wish and regret, try our I Wish / If Only – Fill in the Blanks & Verb Form Exercises. These exercises focus on verb forms and gap-fill practice to help you use I wish and If only more accurately.

📄 Teacher Resource:
Looking for a printable version of these exercises? Download our I Wish & If Only Worksheet (PDF) with 50 grammar practice questions, gap fills, transformations, and answer key.
👉 Get it here

Exercise 1 – Wish or Regret (Multiple Choice)

Decide whether these statements express a "wish" or a "regret":

  1. I wish I could fly.
  2. If only she had seen the doctor earlier. He could have saved her.
  3. If only I traveled to New York.
  4. I wish I were a doctor.

Exercise 2 – Choose the Correct Verb Form

Select the correct tense or verb form.

  1. Alice didn't get a good grade. She wishes she (work) harder.
  2. Tom likes football very much. He wishes he (become) a professional football player.
  3. He was running very fast when he had a heart attack. If only he (not/run) so fast.
  4. She's keen on computers. She wishes she (study) computer science next school year.
  5. I am sorry I don’t know how to use the computer. If only I (know) how to use it.
  6. I stayed late at work and missed the last bus. I wish I (stay) at work late

Exercise 3 – Sentence Transformation (I wish / If only)

Rewrite each sentence using I wish or If only. Do not change the meaning.

  1. I don’t have enough money to buy that laptop.
    → I wish ________________.
  2. I didn’t study for the test, so I failed.
    → If only ________________.
  3. It’s raining and we can’t go out.
    → I wish ________________.
  4. She can’t speak English fluently.
    → She wishes ________________.
  5. Tom ate too much and now he feels sick.
    → If only ________________.
  6. I’m sorry I told him your secret.
    → I wish ________________.
  7. They didn’t arrive on time, so they missed the train.
    → If only ________________.
  8. My neighbors play loud music every night (complaint).
    → I wish ________________.
  9. I’m not taller, so I can’t join the basketball team.
    → I wish ________________.
  10. We didn’t book tickets earlier, so we can’t go to the concert.
    → If only ________________.
1. I wish I had enough money to buy that laptop.
2. If only I had studied for the test.
3. I wish it weren’t/wasn’t raining.
4. She wishes she could speak English fluently.
5. If only Tom hadn’t eaten so much.
6. I wish I hadn’t told him your secret.
7. If only they had arrived on time.
8. I wish my neighbors would stop playing loud music.
9. I wish I were taller.
10. If only we had booked tickets earlier.

⭐Classroom Worksheet Available
Save time with our ready-to-use 7-page printable worksheet (50 questions + answers + teacher instructions).

Download the worksheet (PDF)
Tags: Exercises on Language Structures and Usage
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