Regret past tense

Meaning of regret

to feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done, especially a loss or missed opportunity).

Infinitive

Word: regret /rɪˈɡrɛt/

Examples:

1. He regrets not taking the opportunity when he had the chance.
2. She always regrets speaking too hastily without thinking things through.
3. Everyone eventually regrets the moments they didn’t seize to be kinder.

Past Simple

Word: regretted /rɪˈɡretɪd/

Examples:

1. I regretted not taking the opportunity when it was presented to me.
2. She regretted saying those harsh words to her friend.
3. They regretted not visiting their grandparents more often when they had the chance.

Past Participle

Word: regretted /rɪˈɡrɛtɪd/

Examples:

1. The mistakes had been regretted by everyone involved in the project.
2. A deep sense of regret had been experienced by her after the words were spoken.
3. The choice was deeply regretted by him as soon as it was made.

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Bare infinitive

When expressing a current, habitual action or a general truth, especially about personal preferences or feelings.
Example. 'I always regret not taking more photos on my vacations.'
Example. 'He regrets his decision immediately.'
When making a statement about a fixed situation or an event that is universally considered to be true.
Example. 'I always regret not taking more photos on my vacations.'
Example. 'He regrets his decision immediately.'

Past Simple

When talking about a specific action or situation in the past that has been completed. It is often used with a time reference.
Example. 'I regretted not calling her the moment I hung up.'
Example. 'When I was younger, I regretted not learning more languages.'
Example. 'He regretted his decision to leave the job for about a month.'
To describe a past habit or repeated action, which is no longer happening.
Example. 'I regretted not calling her the moment I hung up.'
Example. 'When I was younger, I regretted not learning more languages.'
Example. 'He regretted his decision to leave the job for about a month.'
To describe a situation in the past that was true for some time but has ended.
Example. 'I regretted not calling her the moment I hung up.'
Example. 'When I was younger, I regretted not learning more languages.'
Example. 'He regretted his decision to leave the job for about a month.'

Past Participle

Used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice.
Example. 'I have never regretted moving to this city.'
Example. 'By the time she realized it, she had regretted giving up too many opportunities.'
Example. 'By this time next year, you will have regretted not taking this chance.'
Example. 'The decision was regretted by all members of the team.'
Example. 'I had been regretting my choice for months before I decided to come back.'
Present Perfect When talking about actions or situations that occurred at an unspecified time in the past or actions that have relevance to the present moment.
Example. 'I have never regretted moving to this city.'
Example. 'By the time she realized it, she had regretted giving up too many opportunities.'
Example. 'By this time next year, you will have regretted not taking this chance.'
Example. 'The decision was regretted by all members of the team.'
Example. 'I had been regretting my choice for months before I decided to come back.'
Past Perfect To talk about actions or situations that were completed before another action or time in the past.
Example. 'I have never regretted moving to this city.'
Example. 'By the time she realized it, she had regretted giving up too many opportunities.'
Example. 'By this time next year, you will have regretted not taking this chance.'
Example. 'The decision was regretted by all members of the team.'
Example. 'I had been regretting my choice for months before I decided to come back.'
Future Perfect To describe actions that will be completed before a specified time in the future.
Example. 'I have never regretted moving to this city.'
Example. 'By the time she realized it, she had regretted giving up too many opportunities.'
Example. 'By this time next year, you will have regretted not taking this chance.'
Example. 'The decision was regretted by all members of the team.'
Example. 'I had been regretting my choice for months before I decided to come back.'
Passive Voice To describe an action that happened to the subject, emphasizing the action rather than the doer.
Example. 'I have never regretted moving to this city.'
Example. 'By the time she realized it, she had regretted giving up too many opportunities.'
Example. 'By this time next year, you will have regretted not taking this chance.'
Example. 'The decision was regretted by all members of the team.'
Example. 'I had been regretting my choice for months before I decided to come back.'
Perfect Continuous Tenses Though less common with the verb 'regret,' it's theoretically possible in structures emphasizing the duration of the action up to a point in time.
Example. 'I have never regretted moving to this city.'
Example. 'By the time she realized it, she had regretted giving up too many opportunities.'
Example. 'By this time next year, you will have regretted not taking this chance.'
Example. 'The decision was regretted by all members of the team.'
Example. 'I had been regretting my choice for months before I decided to come back.'

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing Forms

A common mistake is misunderstanding that 'regretted' serves as both the past simple and past participle form of 'regret'. For instance, in the past simple, one might correctly say, 'I regretted not taking the opportunity when I had the chance.' However, the confusion often arises in the usage of the past participle, especially in perfect tenses. The correct form remains 'regretted' as in the sentence, 'I have always regretted not learning to play the piano.' Mistakenly, some might try to alter the word thinking a different form is needed for the past participle and end up creating a non-existent form like 'regreted' or 'regretten'.

— 02

Forgetting Double Consonant

Another frequent error involves the doubling of the final consonant before adding the '-ed' ending. The rule states that if the verb ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant (and the stress is on the final syllable), the final consonant should be doubled. Since 'regret' ends in a vowel-consonant combination with the stress on the second syllable, it correctly doubles the 't' to become 'regretted'. People often mistakenly forget to apply this rule.

— 03

Misuse in Conditional Sentences

A common mistake is misusing 'regretted' in conditional sentences. For example, when expressing a hypothetical situation in the past, one should use the past perfect form 'had regretted' rather than just the past simple 'regretted'. Incorrect. 'If I knew it would rain, I regretted not bringing an umbrella.' Correct. 'If I had known it would rain, I would have regretted not bringing an umbrella.' Misunderstanding the correct conditional structure can lead to confusion about the intended meaning.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'regret'?

The past simple form of 'regret' is 'regretted'. This form is used to talk about actions or situations in the past that are completed. For example, 'I regretted not calling her sooner.'

What is the past participle form of 'regret'?

The past participle form of 'regret' is also 'regretted'. This form is used in perfect tenses, passive voice, and sometimes as an adjective. For example, in the sentence 'I have regretted my decision ever since,' 'regretted' is used as part of the present perfect tense.

How do you use 'regretted' in a sentence?

'Regretted' can be used in various ways, depending on the structure of the sentence. Here are a few examples. Past Simple. 'She regretted saying those words immediately.' Present Perfect. 'He has regretted his actions for years.' As an Adjective. 'The regretted incident was a turning point for him.'

Can 'regretted' be used to express a wish for the past to have been different?

Yes, 'regretted' can express a wish for different past actions or outcomes. This is often seen in structures involving conditional sentences or expressions of wish. For example, 'I regretted not learning to play the piano when I was younger.' This sentence expresses a wish that the speaker had made a different choice in the past. Another example could be, 'If only I had known, I would have regretted not attending the meeting,' which expresses a hypothetical regret based on a condition not met in the past. Remember, using 'regretted' correctly helps convey feelings of sorrow or missed opportunities related to past actions or decisions. Whether you're writing or speaking, understanding the nuances of its past simple and past participle forms can enhance your ability to express regret effectively.