1. Expressing preferences with ‘would rather’ and ‘would sooner’

Pattern 1

1. would rather/would sooner (not) do (Present or Future reference) 2. would rather/would sooner (not) have done (Past reference)

We use ‘would rather’ and ‘would sooner’ to express a personal preference about actions. (‘would rather’ and ‘would sooner’ - лучше, охотнее, скорее, предпочтительнее)

I’d rather (not) do it. = I’d prefer (not) to do it.

(The subject of would rather/would sooner is also the subject of the following verb, but the subject is used only with would rather/would sooner.)

1. I would rather/would sooner go by car. I would rather/would sooner not go by car. Я лучше (не) поеду на машине. (Present or Future reference)

• I’m tired. I’d rather not go out this evening, if you don’t mind.

• I’d rather stay awake. Я лучше не буду спать.

• He’d rather be playing golf.

• Would you rather have tea or coffee? - Coffee, please. What would you rather have?

• I’d sooner be a minor than a bank clerk.

2. I’d rather have lived in Ancient Greece than Ancient Rome. (Past reference)

• If I had lived in 1400, I would rather have been a knight than a monk.

• I’d rather not have gone out with him yesterday.

In negative responses, we can omit the infinitive:

• Are you coming with us? - I’d rather not.

• Do you want to go out? - I’d rather not.

• Would you rather have been a knight? - I’d rather not (have been).

‘Would rather’ and ‘Would sooner’ can be modified by far and (very) much:

• I’d far (or much) rather be happy than rich.

• I’d far (or much) sooner be young than old.

Pattern 2

would rather/would sooner + clause

I would rather and I would sooner can introduce a clause with its own subject (different from the subject of would rather/would sooner). This construction =

I would prefer someone to do something.

1. I’d rather + Past Indefinite/were (Present or Future reference) 2. I’d rather + Past Perfect (Past reference)

1. Such sentences have a similar meaning to Second Conditional Sentences:

• I’d rather you didn’t smoke here. (= If you didn’t smoke here, it would be better.) (Cf. I wish you didn’t smoke here.)

• I’d rather he ate less. he ate less. I’d rather you didn’t stay out late tomorrow night.

• I’d rather John didn’t borrow my car.

• Shall I tell them the news? - No, I’d rather they didn’t know it.

2. Such sentences have a similar meaning to Third Conditional Sentences:

• I’d rather he had told me about it. (= If he had told me about it, it would have been better.) (Cf. I wish he had told me about it.)

• I’d rather you had called me earlier. (Cf. I wish you had called me earlier.)

• I’d rather he hadn’t spent so much money yesterday.

• I’d rather you had been present.

• I suppose you would rather I had stayed there for good. Полагаю, вы предпочли бы, чтобы я остался там навсегда.

When expressing negative preferences we can use didn’t (Present or Future reference) or hadn’t (Past reference) to avoid repeating the main verb.

• You always go without me and I’d rather you didn’t. (Present reference)

• Do you mind if I smoke? - I’d rather you didn’t. (Present reference)

• Kate went by car and I’d rather she hadn’t. (Past reference)

• I’ve told everyone about it. - I’d rather you hadn’t. (Past reference)

Pattern 3

I’d rather + bare Infinitive + than + bare Infinitive