■ regret

1) regret 本身是个表示延续状态的第一类动词。它后面跟着动名词 -ing 或 having + pp（后面的动词是第三类或第四类动词）都是对以前自己做过的某事感到遗憾，就是：动名词的动作在先，regret 在后。

• I regret not having kept in touch with them.我后悔没有同他们保持联系。
• He didn't go to the party. Now he regrets not having done so.他没有参加联欢会。现在他对此感到后悔。
• I regret ever mentioning it.我后悔曾经提到过它。
• Speakes ultimately apologized, saying he regretted providing fodder for Reagan's enemies. (The Associated Press, Nov. 23, 2007)斯皮克斯后来表示道歉，说他后悔给里根的敌人提供了炮弹。

2) 如果后面的动词（-ing 而非 having + pp）是个静态的第一类或第二类动词，则是对当时自己的状况或做法感到遗憾，就是：动名词所表示的状态或动作，与 regret 同时。

• He regrets being unable to help.他很遗憾，爱莫能助。

3) regret to inf. （后面动词通常是表示瞬时动作的第四类动词）则是对说话时自己马上要做的某事感到遗憾，在中文往往可以将这个遗憾从谓语变为状语（“遗憾地如何如何”）。

• We regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful.我们遗憾地通知您，您的申请未能成功。
• Mrs Jones, I regret to inform you that your credit limit has been exceeded.琼斯先生，我遗憾地通知您，您的信用限额已经超过了。
• Later, I regret to say, rents went up.后来呢，说来也遗憾，租金上涨了。

试比较：

• Latasha regretted to tell the student that his essay was deleted 与 Latasha regretted telling the student that his essay was deleted.前者是：“拉塔莎很抱歉地告诉那个学生，他的论文被删掉了（也就是向学生道了歉，regret 与 tell 同时）”；后者则是：“拉塔莎很后悔自己告诉了那个学生，他的论文被删掉了（这里是觉得本来不应该告诉学生，tell 在前，regret 在后 ）”。

4) regret 后面的直接宾语也可以是一个名词成分。

• I shall say that he is mistaken in supposing that I can regret the birth of my daughters (who have been the pride of my life, and are likely to be the comfort of my old age), or the thirty years I have passed in the company of my best and dearest friend ...(Anne Brontё, Agnes Grey)我要说，他错了，他还以为我可能后悔生了我的女儿们（她们是我一生的骄傲，而且很可能是我老年时的安慰）并且在我那位最好最亲的朋友陪伴下度过了三十年…
• I now, weak, old, diseased, poor, dying, hold still my soul in my hands, and I regret nothing. (Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage)我现在又老又弱，又病又穷，行将就木，但我的灵魂仍然掌握在自己手里，我什么遗憾也没有。

5) regret 后面如果跟着一个由 that 引入的名词从句，从句中可以自由使用各种时态，表示以前、现时或将来发生的事或存在的状态。

• It made me regret that my student days are over.它使得我叹息自己的学生岁月一去不复返。
• I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. (American patriot Nathan Hale, executed as a spy by the British in 1776)我唯一的遗憾，是自己只能为国捐躯一次。
• I regret that I shall be unable to attend.我遗憾到时将无法与会。
• We regret that the video company experienced technical difficulties and the commencement video is not available for purchase.我们很遗憾，录像公司遇到了一些技术困难，毕业录像无法提供出售。

从句中也可以使用虚拟语气，尤其是如果使用 should 时，这个 should 只是虚拟语气的标志，没有“应该”的意思。

• You will be able to help Lucille through the annoyance to which I deeply regret that she should be subjected. (E. Phillips Oppenheim, The Yellow Crayon)对于露西尔所遇到的麻烦，我深感遗憾，但是你一定能够帮助她克服的。