I wish, should and should have to indicate dissatisfaction with the present or past situation

Wish and should are used to indicate dissatisfaction with the present or past situation.

We use the verb wish to say:

• what we aren't happy with in the present (the pattern is wish + Past Tense):

• I wish I was younger.

• I wish they weren't reading so slowly.

• what we regret about the past (we use the pattern: wish + the Past Perfect):

• I wish I had read many books when I was a child.

• I wish she had told me about her problems.

• what we want to be changed in our present situation (we use the pattern: wish + would + infinitive):

• I wish you would stop smoking.

• I wish the weather would change.

After wish we can also use were instead of was for all grammatical persons:

• I wish I were a millionaire.
• I wish she were here.

We use should and ought to:

• to express obligation:
• Everyone should learn first aid.
• You shouldn't watch so many TV programmes.
• to give advice:
• You should learn her to drive.
• You ought to buy a good cookery book.

We prefer shouldn't to oughtn't to:

• You shouldn't use a dictionary for this exercise.

We use should (not)/ought (not) to + have + third form of the verb (perfect infinitive) to express regrets about the past:

• I shouldn't have asked him to repair the vacuum cleaner.
• They should have invited everyone from the office.