Grammar Challenge

'Regret'
Practice
BBC Learning English – Grammar Challenge

Grammar Point – 'regret'

Exercise 1: Form
Read the sentence and choose the option a-d which best expresses a regret.

1. I left it too late to buy a ticket for the concert, and now they are sold out.
a. I regret waiting so long to buy a ticket.
b. I regret to waiting so long to buy a ticket.
c. I am regret waiting so long to buy a ticket.
d. I regret not waiting so long to buy a ticket.

2. He didn't work hard enough, and now he regrets it.

a. He regrets he worked not hard enough.
b. He regrets working not hard enough.
c. He regrets not working hard enough.
d. He regrets working hard enough.

3. They bought cheap pens, but they didn’t work very well.
a. They are regret buying cheap pens.
b. They don't regret buying cheap pens.
c. They regret not buying cheap pens.
d. They regret buying cheap pens.

4. I didn't go to music school but became an actor, and I had a happy career.
a. I regret not going to music school.
b. I don't regret going to music school.
c. I regret becoming a singer.
d. I don't regret becoming an actor.

5. You didn't take a warm coat on your trip, but the weather was really cold.
a. I regret I didn’t taking a warm coat.
b. I regret taking a warm coat.
c. I regret not taking a warm coat.
d. I am regret not taking a warm coat.

6. She forgot to switch the cooker off, and she burnt her dinner.
a. She regrets switching the cooker off.
b. She doesn't regret switching the cooker off.
c. She regrets to switching the cooker off.
d. She regrets not switching the cooker off.

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Exercise 2: Positive / Negative

Read the sentence and choose the option which best expresses the regret.

1. I shouted at my little brother this morning. I feel bad about it now.

a. I regret shouting at my little brother.
b. I don't regret shouting at my little brother.

2. They stayed up really late, so they overslept.

a. They regret staying up late.
b. They regret not staying up late.

3. I didn't go to the supermarket yesterday. It's closed today.

a. I regret going to the supermarket yesterday.
b. I regret not going to the supermarket yesterday.

4. I didn't eat any breakfast, and now I'm really hungry.

a. I regret not eating breakfast.
b. I don't regret eating breakfast.

5. Mary didn’t buy the dress she liked, and now they are sold out.
a. Mary doesn't regret not buying the dress she liked.
b. Mary regrets not buying the dress she liked.

6. Jill didn't tell her boyfriend she was going to be late, and he got really angry.
a. Jill regrets not telling her boyfriend.
b. Jill doesn't regret telling her boyfriend.

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Exercise 3: Questions
Choose the 5 words which complete each question:

1. Yuki didn’t do her homework, and her teacher got very angry with her.
… her homework?

not regret does doesn't doing is she

2. I wanted to buy a new dress, but I didn’t have enough money.

… enough money to buy a new dress?

are you having do not regret regretting

3. Khalid wanted a pay rise, but he was afraid to ask for one.
… for a pay rise?

asking regret do not does he afraid

4. John drank a lot of wine last night, and now he has a headache.
… that wine?

drinking drink is all does John regret

5. Jane and Steven didn’t meet until they were in their thirties.
Do … ?

earlier regret later not meet they meeting

6. Kate and Pete had a big argument, and they broke off their engagement.
… their engagement?

are regret breaking do off they not

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Grammar Point – 'regret' - Answers

Exercise 1: Form
Read the sentence and choose the option a-c which best expresses the regret.

1. I left it too late to buy a ticket for the concert, and now they are sold out.
a. I regret waiting so long to buy a ticket. – Correct – this expresses the regret
in sentence 1.
b. I regret to waiting so long to buy a ticket. – Wrong – you need to use an –ing form
without 'to'.
c. I am regret waiting so long to buy a ticket. – Wrong – don’t use 'am' with present
simple verbs.
d. I regret not waiting so long to buy a ticket. – Wrong – the speaker regrets
something that happened, not something that didn’t happen.

2. He didn't work hard enough, and now he regrets it.

a. He regrets he worked not hard enough. – Wrong – you need an –ing form.
b. He regrets working not hard enough. – Wrong – the 'not' is in the wrong place.
c. He regrets not working hard enough. – Correct – this expresses the regret in
sentence 2.
d. He regrets working hard enough. – Wrong – he regrets something that didn’t
happen, not something that happened.

3. They bought cheap pens, but they didn’t work very well.
a. They are regret buying cheap pens. – Wrong - don’t use 'are' with present simple
verbs.
b. They don't regret buying cheap pens. – Wrong – they DO regret what happened.
c. They regret not buying cheap pens. – Wrong – think about positives and negatives.
d. They regret buying cheap pens. – Correct – this expresses the regret in
sentence 3.

4. I didn't go to music school but became an actor, and I had a happy career.
a. I regret not going to music school. – Wrong – s/he had a happy career, so s/he
doesn't regret the past.
b. I don't regret going to music school. – Wrong – s/he didn't go to music school.
c. I regret becoming a singer. – Wrong – s/he didn't become a singer.
d. I don't regret becoming an actor. – Correct – this expresses the absence of
regret in sentence 4.

5. You didn't take a warm coat on your trip, but the weather was really cold.
a. I regret I didn’t taking a warm coat. – Wrong – 'regret' should be followed by verb-
ing.
b. I regret taking a warm coat. – Wrong – I didn't take a warm coat.
c. I regret not taking a warm coat. – Correct – this expresses the regret in
sentence 5.
d. I am regret not taking a warm coat. – Wrong – don’t use 'am' with present simple
verbs.

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6. She forgot to switch the cooker off, and she burnt her dinner.
a. She regrets switching the cooker off. – Wrong – she didn’t switch the cooker off.
b. She doesn't regret switching the cooker off. – Wrong – she didn’t switch the cooker
off.
c. She regrets to switching the cooker off. – Wrong - 'regret' should be followed by
verb-ing.
d. She regrets not switching the cooker off. – Correct – this expresses the regret in
sentence 6.

Exercise 2: Positive / Negative

Read the sentence and choose the option which best expresses the regret.

1. I shouted at my little brother this morning. I feel bad about it now.

a. I regret shouting at my little brother. – Correct – well done.
b. I don't regret shouting at my little brother. - Wrong - think more carefully about
positive and negative.

2. They stayed up really late, so they overslept.

a. They regret staying up late. - Correct – well done.
b. They regret not staying up late. - Wrong - think more carefully about positive and
negative.

3. I didn't go to the supermarket yesterday. It's closed today.

a. I regret going to the supermarket yesterday. - Wrong - think more carefully about
positive and negative.
b. I regret not going to the supermarket yesterday. - Correct – well done

4. I didn't eat any breakfast, and now I'm really hungry.

a. I regret not eating breakfast. - Correct – well done
b. I don't regret eating breakfast. - Wrong - think more carefully about positive and
negative.

5. Mary didn’t buy the dress she liked, and now they are sold out.
a. Mary doesn't regret not buying the dress she liked. - Wrong - think more carefully
about positive and negative.
b. Mary regrets not buying the dress she liked. - Correct – well done.

6. Jill didn't tell her boyfriend she was going to be late, and he got really angry.
a. Jill regrets not telling her boyfriend. - Correct – well done.
b. Jill doesn't regret telling her boyfriend. - Wrong - think more carefully about positive
and negative.

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Exercise 3: Questions
Choose the 5 words which complete each question:

1. Yuki didn’t do her homework, and her teacher got very angry with her.
Does she regret not doing her homework?

2. I wanted to buy a new dress, but I didn’t have enough money.

Do you regret not having enough money to buy a new dress?

3. Khalid wanted a pay rise, but he was afraid to ask for one.
Does he regret not asking for a pay rise?

4. John drank a lot of wine last night, and now he has a headache.
Does John regret drinking all that wine?

5. Jane and Steven didn’t meet until they were in their thirties.
Do they regret not meeting earlier?

6. Kate and Pete had a big argument, and they broke off their engagement.
Do they regret breaking off their engagement?

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