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Alc24 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
I'd rather PRESENT OR PAST TENSE??
Hello
I'm having trouble with this. Could you help me please?
I know that when using rather to ask someone to do something, you need to use the past, but the meaning is present or future as in
I'd rather you cooked dinner for us.
but I'm having trouble with a more complicated sentence
You are talking about 2 different things in both sentences but can both be said?
I'd rather you cooked dinner than ate out.
I'd rather you cooked dinner than I cooked dinner.
What about
I'd rather I got hurt than you did. Let me cut the vegetables.
I'd rather get hurt than have you get hurt.
I'd rather get hurt than you get hurt.
Like stated above, don't you use the past to mean the present: I'd go with 2
1 I'd rather it be me that gets hurt than you.
2 I'd rather it was me that got hurt than you.
I'd also go with 2 or am I mistaken?
1 I'd rather it be me that risks getting hurt than you.
2 I'd rather it was me that risked getting hurt than you.
How would you write the sentence in the past:
????
I'd rather it had been me that got hurt than you.
I'd rather it had been me that had risked getting hurt than you.
Thank you so much
I'm having trouble with this. Could you help me please?
I know that when using rather to ask someone to do something, you need to use the past, but the meaning is present or future as in
I'd rather you cooked dinner for us.
but I'm having trouble with a more complicated sentence
You are talking about 2 different things in both sentences but can both be said?
I'd rather you cooked dinner than ate out.
I'd rather you cooked dinner than I cooked dinner.
What about
I'd rather I got hurt than you did. Let me cut the vegetables.
I'd rather get hurt than have you get hurt.
I'd rather get hurt than you get hurt.
Like stated above, don't you use the past to mean the present: I'd go with 2
1 I'd rather it be me that gets hurt than you.
2 I'd rather it was me that got hurt than you.
I'd also go with 2 or am I mistaken?
1 I'd rather it be me that risks getting hurt than you.
2 I'd rather it was me that risked getting hurt than you.
How would you write the sentence in the past:
????
I'd rather it had been me that got hurt than you.
I'd rather it had been me that had risked getting hurt than you.
Thank you so much
Top answer
" This makes it complicated. " Second is the "would rather" form. " I would rather laugh than cry.
- " This makes it complicated.
- " Second is the "would rather" form.
- " I would rather laugh than cry.
- I would rather you laughed than cried.
- You are talking about 2 different things in both sentences but can both be said?
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4 Answers
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Okay, you are putting together two difference uses of "rather." This makes it complicated.
First is "rather than" form, used for parallel structure: "x rather than y."
Second is the "would rather" form. This requires either " would rather + infinitive (lacking the "to") or "would rather + pronoun + past tense."
I would rather laugh than cry.
First is "rather than" form, used for parallel structure: "x rather than y."
Second is the "would rather" form. This requires either " would rather + infinitive (lacking the "to") or "would rather + pronoun + past tense."
I would rather laugh than cry.
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Hello Doctor D,
I've come across a thread with this question
I thought I'd ask you since I'm intrigued.
Which form is correct?
I'd rather you wait than me.
I'd rather have you wait than I wait.
I'd rather you wait than I.
Thanks
I've come across a thread with this question
I thought I'd ask you since I'm intrigued.
Which form is correct?
I'd rather you wait than me.
I'd rather have you wait than I wait.
I'd rather you wait than I.
Thanks
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