1.would rather意思是“寧愿、寧可、更、最好、還是為好”,后接動詞原形,常省略為’d rather,表示優(yōu)先選擇的一種方式 .
例 Mr Li would rather not listen to rock music.李先生不愿意聽搖滾音樂.
2還有一種是would rather+從句,是一個常用的虛擬語氣句型 Would rather+從句,謂語一般用過去時來表示現(xiàn)在或?qū)?其意為“寧愿……,還是…… 好些”“一個人寧愿另一個人做某事”.引導從句的that常省略.在談到過去的動作時,謂語則用過去完成時.
例 John wants to see me today.I would rather he came to tomorrow than today.
約翰今天想去看我.我寧愿他明天來看我而不是今天.(句中came不是表示過去而是表示將來)
We’d rather he paid us the money tomorrow.我們寧愿他明天付給我們那筆錢.
請注意1） 如果談到過去的動作,也就是表示過去已經(jīng)發(fā)生的事情在選擇上不恰當.此時,主句一般為I had rather ,其（that）從句則用過去完成時.例 Would rather you had not done that.我真希望你沒有做那件事.
2）如果只涉及主語本人而不涉及另一個人,則would rather之后不接that從句而接have done結(jié)構(gòu).
例 I would rather have gone to the theatre than stayed home night.我真希望昨天晚上去看了戲而不是呆在家里.
He would rather be poor than have got money by dishonest methods． 他寧可窮也不愿意用不誠實的手段獲取金錢.
Henry would rather that his girlfriend worked in the same department as he does．亨利希望他的女朋友和他在一個部門工作.