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Preference: I'd rather go.../ I'd rather you went - English lesson

If the sentence becomes a little more complex, it becomes a lotharder: 

'to prefer something to something else'... It's still OK! and if we ask: 'I'd rather'?...

Then you frown and silence settles in...  

Let's revise this idiomatic verbal form again... It may be so useful... 

A)  I'D RATHER: I would prefer... expresses a choice, a preference.

The whole expression is  I WOULD RATHER+ bare infinitive. 

The use of this auxiliary (WOULD) has, obviously, a consequence in short answers 

and questions tags:

- Would you rather stay here or come with us? I'd rather stay.

- He'd rather not meet him, wouldn't he?

 Beware: if there is a choice between several objects, 'than' is used. (it is an old

comparative form). 

- She'd rather live in Europe than in America...

 B) I'D RATHER + subject of the verb in the modal preterite: test

This preterite indicates that the action isn't real: (It's an unreal form)

It is only a choice, a preference being expressed and which is imposed on the subject

of the verb.

- Her parents would rather we didn't see each other any more.

I admit that this last point is sometimes tricky... First, look for a second person in the 

sentence, then be sure to master the modal preterite... 

Tn the meantime, have a GOOD TEST! Go for it!   

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1. 'You have a fever! I 'd rather staying'd rather you stayed'd rather stayI don't know at home today and tomorrow.'



2. ' staying or goingstayed or gonestay or goI don't know to the cinema with me tomorrow night?'



3. ' I 'd rather not'd rather you don't'd rather you didn' tI don't know repeat what I told you in confidence. It could hurt many people.'



4. 'Philip would rather take'd rather you take'd rather tookI don't know an orange for breakfast than a juice.'



5. 'It's cold! I'll close the window!' ' I 'd rather you did'd rather didn't'd rather notI don't know ! I'm hot, but you can take my sweater!'



6. 'What ' d you rather did'd rather didn'twould you rather doI don't know for our family trip tomorrow, go to the mountains, or stay in the valley?'



7. If you don't mind, I I'd rather goingIwon't rather go'd rather notI don't know go with your brother to the rugby match. I'll stay here and work on my presentation.



8. Pattie's a little tired. She 'd rather stop'd rather to stop'd rather stoppingI don't know playing in the park and go back home.



9. She 'd not rather repeat'd rather not repeat'd rather I didn't repeatI don't know anything of what happened to her Mum... Otherwise, she might be punished...



10. 'Shall I close the door?' 'Oh no, please, I 'd rather left'd rather you left'd rather leaveI don't know it ajar, thank you!'