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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

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Is "rather" optional in this sentence?

I prefer the the chili sauce rather than the tomato one.
  

Top answer

It is a redundant structure. Use this: I prefer the chili sauce to the tomato one. ” They note that over (“Nine out of ten dentists prefer Crest over the competitors”), and rather than (“He prefers to stand rather than to sit”) are also used.

— Mister Micawber

  • It is a redundant structure.
  • Use this: I prefer the chili sauce to the tomato one.
  • ” They note that over (“Nine out of ten dentists prefer Crest over the competitors”), and rather than (“He prefers to stand rather than to sit”) are also used.
  • Rather than is especially helpful when the compared items are infinitive clauses beginning with to, therefore avoiding the problem of too many tos ( * “He prefers to stand to to sit”).
  • Above can also be used (“Prefers this brand above all others”), although they note that above, along with before, were noted by the OED as being used formerly.
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1 Answers
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It is a redundant structure. Use this:

I prefer the chili sauce to the tomato one.

However:

The http://books.google.com/books?id=2yJusP0vrdgC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA760#v=onepage&q=prefer&f=false that to is the ordinary word
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