"I Wish I Had..." The Language of Regret in Business

Welcome to Business Fluency - your weekly guide to mastering business English and accelerating your career.

In today’s newsletter:

• "I Wish I Had..." The Language of Regret in Business

• Quote of the day: Mark Twain

• We value your feedback - Your opinion helps us improve

• Word of the day: Regret - Business context and collocations

• Test Your Knowledge - Interactive quiz

• Whenever you are ready, here is how I can help you

"I Wish I Had..." The Language of Regret in Business

How to discuss past decisions and missed opportunities with confidence

Last week, a new student contacted me with an urgent request:

I pointed out that we did not have much time. He replied:

This got me thinking about how often I hear similar expressions from business professionals. Whether it's about language learning, career decisions, or missed opportunities, we all need to discuss past choices professionally.

Let's explore the language of regret — essential expressions for talking about what might have been.

Why This Language Matters in Business

In professional settings, you'll need to:

• Reflect on project outcomes in meetings

• Give constructive feedback to team members

• Discuss lessons learned with clients

• Navigate difficult conversations about past decisions

5 Essential Ways to Express Regret and Reflection

1. I regret + gerund

Form: regret + gerund (–ing form of the verb)

2. I wish / If only + past perfect

Form: I wish / If only + subject + past perfect (had + past participle)

3. It was a mistake to/not to + base verb

Form: It was a mistake to / not to + base form of the verb

4. I should have / shouldn't have + past participle

Form: should have / shouldn't have + past participle

Note: This can express genuine regret or simply acknowledge an incorrect decision without emotional significance.

5. In hindsight / Looking back / In retrospect

These expressions are particularly useful for giving feedback diplomatically or discussing lessons learned without assigning blame.

The Professional Touch

Notice how these expressions allow you to take responsibility while maintaining professionalism. They're essential for:

• Performance reviews

• Project post-mortems

• Client relationship management

• Team leadership

Which of these expressions would be most useful in your current work situation?

Quote of the Day: Mark Twain

I have tried to live my life by this quote and make the most of every opportunity in my business and personal life.

We Value Your Feedback!

Your opinion helps us improve and lets you suggest topics or ask Business English questions for future issues.

Word of the day: Regret

Regret - verb/noun - to feel sorry, disappointed, or distressed about something that has happened or been done; a feeling of sadness or disappointment over something that has occurred or been done

Literal Meaning: Regret comes from the Old French "regreter," meaning "to mourn the dead." It originally described the deep sorrow felt when mourning someone's death. Over time, it evolved to encompass any feeling of sorrow or disappointment about past events or decisions.

Business English Context: In professional settings, "regret" is used both as a polite formal expression and to discuss learning from past decisions. It allows professionals to acknowledge mistakes diplomatically, express formal apologies, and reflect on missed opportunities without appearing unprofessional or overly emotional.

Common Business Collocations:

• Regret to inform - formal way to deliver disappointing news

• Deeply regret - express sincere apology or disappointment

• Regret any inconvenience - standard professional apology phrase

• Express regret - formally acknowledge disappointment or apologize

• Career regret - disappointment about professional decisions

• Without regret - confident about a decision made

• Live to regret - warning about future disappointment from current actions

Professional Applications:

• Formal communication: "We regret to inform you that the position has been filled" (= polite way to deliver bad news)

• Performance reviews: "I regret not taking more initiative on that project" (= professional acknowledgement of missed opportunity)

• Client relations: "We deeply regret the delay in delivery" (= sincere business apology)

Business English: Test Your Knowledge

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Disclaimer:

This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The information contained herein is generic and does not take into account your individual financial circumstances. You should always consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment or financial decisions.

Additionally, the authors and/or publishers of this newsletter may hold investments in securities or other financial instruments mentioned herein. These are included for illustrative purposes only and should not be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell such securities or financial instruments.