Modal Verbs of Regret

In this lesson we look at modal verbs of regret. Regret is a common human emotion, and in English, we use specific modal verbs to express it.

The phrases should have, would have, and could have allow us to reflect on past actions, missed opportunities, and hypothetical situations that didn’t happen.

Each of these structures conveys a different kind of regret and understanding their differences helps us communicate our feelings more precisely when looking back on past decisions.

Grammatical Structure

All three phrases follow the modal perfect structure:

✅ [Modal Verb] + have + past participle (V3)

"Should have" + past participle
I should have studied harder.

"Would have" + past participle
If I had studied, I would have passed.

"Could have" + past participle
She could have been a great musician.

Unlike simple past verbs, these structures allow us to reflect on alternative past outcomes and express what we wish had happened.

Modal Verbs of Regret Explained

The Key Differences

Should Have

Expressing Regret Over Mistakes or Missed Obligations

"Should have" expresses regret about something that should have been done but wasn’t, or something that happened but shouldn’t have. It often conveys guilt, criticism, or disappointment about past choices.

Common Contexts for Regret:

Feeling guilty about not doing something
Criticising others’ past actions
Wishing a different decision had been made

Examples:

✅ I should have helped that elderly person to get off the bus. (Guilt)

✅ You should have apologised to her. (Criticism)

✅ They should have left earlier to avoid traffic.

✅ I shouldn’t have eaten so much cake!

Would have

Expressing Hypothetical Regret

"Would have" expresses regret about how things could have turned out differently if circumstances had been different. It is often used in third conditional sentences to describe an alternative past that didn’t happen.

Common Contexts for Regret:

Feeling sad about an unrealised outcome
Wishing something had gone differently
Expressing conditional regret (If X had happened, Y would have followed)

Examples:

✅ If I had woken up earlier, I would have caught the train.

✅ I would have helped you if you had asked me.

✅ She would have passed the test if she had studied more.

✅ I wouldn’t have said that if I had known it would upset you.

Could have

Expressing Regret Over Missed Opportunities

"Could have" expresses regret about a lost opportunity—something that was possible in the past but didn’t happen. It focuses on what was within reach but not achieved.

Common Contexts for Regret:

Realising a better option was possible
Thinking about missed chances
Feeling disappointed about not acting differently

Examples:

✅ I could have won the race, but I didn’t train enough.

✅ You could have told me earlier!

✅ She could have gotten the job, but she didn’t apply.

✅ We could have avoided this argument if we had communicated better.

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