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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Use of would rather

"I'd rather you took it and been honest with me."
Is this sentence correct ?
  

Top answer

" Any attempt to justify the structure in grammatical terms would be a guess for me, at this point in the evening. - A. Edit.

— Avangi

  • " Any attempt to justify the structure in grammatical terms would be a guess for me, at this point in the evening.
  • - A.
  • Edit.
  • " (right now) This seems to me to be akin to the modern style of substituting past tense (took) for subjunctive.
  • "
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3 Answers
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Anonymous"I'd rather you took it and been honest with me."
My native ear says, "I'd rather you had taken it and [had] been honest with me."

We commonly omit the second "had."

Any attempt to justify the structure in grammatical terms would be a guess for me, at this point in the evening.
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AvangiAlternately, describing a present time situation, "I'd rather you took it and be honest with me." (right now)
Have a nightcap, Avangi!
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A-okay! Emotion: coffee

Cheer up. The sun will soon be over the yardarm.

- A.
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