I'd rather him think

I don’t think it’s wrong, but I think this is better: I’d rather that he think he’s right.

Anonymous This is wrong. What is the correct form?I'd rather him think that he's right.

It is not wrong, it's right. The subject of an infinitive takes the objective case, believe it or not.

enoonThe subject of an infinitive takes the objective case, believe it or not.

Wait, what? I must be a bit slow today, but how is him the subject of an infinitive here?

Aspara Gushow is him the subject of an infinitive here?

"Him think" is an infinitive clause.

enoon"Him think" is an infinitive clause.

I suppose I asked the wrong question. How is it that the pronoun must be in the objective case? It’s not the object of anything; it’s the subject of a that-clause, not an infinitive clause.

I’d rather that he think that he’s right.
I helped

How are you conjugating to get a clause with "he think" in it? "Think" is an infinitive, and there is no "that" in the construction in question. Compare "I'd rather try the other one."

I call it the objective case for lack of a better word. It is probably a relic of OE that had a different name.

I am perfectly willing to accept that there are different ways of looking at the odd

Ther seems to be a little confusion here.

I helped him (to) paint the shed. Infinitive.
I want him to think ... . Infinitive.
I'd rather think .... . Infinitive.
I'd prefer him to think ... . Infinitive.


I'd rather he think/thought ... . There's no infinitive there.