英语短语 "would…rather than…" 核心含义是 “宁愿……而不愿……”,用于表达在两个选项中更倾向于前者、拒绝后者的主观偏好或选择。
该短语的核心结构是 “would rather + 动词原形 + than + 动词原形”,其中:
would rather 后接不带to的不定式(动词原形),表示“宁愿做某事”;
than 作为连词,连接两个并列的动作,后面的动词也用原形(因与前面的不定式并列,省略to)。
表示在两个动作中优先选择前者,拒绝后者。
例:
I would rather stay at home than go out in the rain.(我宁愿待在家里,也不愿冒雨出去。)
She would rather read a book than watch TV.(她宁愿看书,也不愿看电视。)
They would rather walk to school than take the bus.(他们宁愿走路去学校,也不愿坐公交。)
在would rather后加not,表示“宁愿不做某事”,再用than连接更不愿做的事。
例:
He would rather not speak English than make mistakes.(他宁愿不说英语,也不愿犯错。)
I would rather not eat fast food than gain weight.(我宁愿不吃快餐,也不愿长胖。)
将would提前至句首,构成一般疑问句,询问对方的选择倾向。
例:
Would you rather drink coffee than tea?(你宁愿喝咖啡也不愿喝茶吗?)
Would he rather play football than basketball?(他宁愿踢足球也不愿打篮球吗?)
1、 并列结构一致:than后的动词必须与would rather后的动词形式一致(均为原形),不能用动名词或不定式(to do)。
✖ 错误:I would rather cook than washing dishes.
✔ 正确:I would rather cook than wash dishes.(我宁愿做饭也不愿洗碗。)
2、 与“prefer…to…”的区别:
would…rather than… 后接动词原形,强调“动作选择”;
prefer…to… 后接动名词(doing),强调“事物偏好”。
例:
I would rather stay at home than go out. = I prefer staying at home to going out.(我宁愿待在家也不愿出去。)
"would…rather than…" 是表达主观选择偏好的常用短语,结构简单且场景明确,核心是“优先选前者,拒绝后者”。记住“动词原形+动词原形”的搭配,就能准确使用啦!