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Kathy456 Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

would rather/It's high time + simple past tense/ past perfect tense

0Hi everybody,02br
02br
00I know that the following are the correct ways to express our preferences (by using subjunctive):-02br
02br
001. I'd rather you stayed home. (use of simple past tense after "would rather" for future actions)02br
02br
002. I'd rather you hadn't gone to the party (use of past perfect tense after "would rather" for past unreal actions)02br
02br
003. It's high time we started the project. (use of simple past tense after "It's high time" for future actions)02br
02br
00My question is, is it unnatural or even wrong to use other tenses in these cases as follows:-02br
02br
004. I'd rather you stay home.02br
02br
005. I'd rather you'll stay home.02br
02br
006. I'd rather you don't go to the party.02br
02br
007. I'd rather you haven't gone to the party.02br
02br
008. It's high time we start the project.02br
02br
00And, if the above sentences (i.e. #4 to #8) are correct, do they still mean exactly the same thing as #1 to #3?02br
02br
00Could you help me with this?02br
02br
00Thanks.02br
02br
00Kathy0-
  

Top answer

0 01blockquote 01cite 10Kathy45612cite 10Hi everybody,12br 12br 10I know that the following are the correct ways to express our preferences (by using subjunctive):-12br 12br 101. I'd rather you stayed home. (use of simple past tense after "would rather" for future actions)12br 12br 102.

— Yankee

  • 0 01blockquote 01cite 10Kathy45612cite 10Hi everybody,12br 12br 10I know that the following are the correct ways to express our preferences (by using subjunctive):-12br 12br 101.
  • I'd rather you stayed home.
  • (use of simple past tense after "would rather" for future actions)12br 12br 102.
  • I'd rather you hadn't gone to the party (use of past perfect tense after "would rather" for past unreal actions)12br 12br 103.
  • It's high time we started the project.
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15 Answers
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Kathy45612cite10Hi everybody,12br
12br
10I know that the following are the correct ways to express our preferences (by using subjunctive):-12br
12br
101. I'd rather you stayed home. (use of simple past tense after "would rather" for future actions)12br
12br
102. I'd rath
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0
0Thanks a lot, Yankee.02br
02br
00Kathy0-
0
0
0 Hi Amy02br
02br
004. I'd rather you stay home. 01font00This is also used and refers to future action.02br
02br
00I believe it should "02font00I'd rather you 01b00stayed02b00 home." 0-
0
0
2br
02br
00The verb is always in its bare infinitive form right after “I’d rather…” 02br
02br
02br
02br
01font00I’d rather02font00 not 01font00talk 02font00about it…02br
02br
01font00I’d rather02font01
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0
0 01blockquote
01cite10Goodman12cite12br
12br
10The verb is always in its bare infinitive form right after “I’d rather…” 12br
12br
12br
12br
11font10I10’d rather12font10 not 11font10talk 12font10about it…12br
0
0
0 With one person having the preference (01i01b00I02b00'd rather02i00) that another person (01i01b00you, he, ...02b02i00) do or not do something, both bare infinitive (01i00do / not do02i00) and simple past (01i00did, didn't do02i00) are used. Personally, I can't even de
0
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0 01blockquote
01cite10CalifJim12cite10With one person having the preference (11i11b10I12b10'd rather12i10) that another person (11i11b10you, he, ...12b12i10) do or not do something, both bare infinitive (11i10do / not do12i10) and simple past (11i
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0
0 01blockquote
01b10Is the above BrE usage?12b12blockquote
10I don't know. Even though I'm American, I know a little about British usage, but not enough to answer this question. Note however the word 01i00can02i00:02br
02br
01i00When you want someone else to do something, you 01b0
0
0
0 01blockquote
01cite10CalifJim12cite11blockquote
11b20Is the above BrE usage?22b22blockquote
20I don't know. Even though I'm American, I know a little about British usage, but not enough to answer this question. Note however the word 11i10can12i10:12br
12br
1
0
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0 01blockquote
00(11b11i10not 12i12b10"I'd rather you 11b11i10 12i10cook12b10")12blockquote
10Whoops! I didn't notice that. 05002br
02br
00 CJ010id1
0

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