一、后接動詞原形后接動詞原形，表示“寧愿做某事”。如：I’d rather be told the truth than be lied to. 我寧愿聽真話，不愿被欺騙。

I’ve already seen that film, so I’d rather see another one. 我已經看過那部電影了，所以還是看部別的吧。

I’ll go if you’re going. If not, I’d rather stay at home. 你去我就去，否則我寧可待在家里。

I’d rather do it without anybody’s help. 我寧愿不要任何人幫助，自己干這件事。

“How about a drink?” “I’d rather have something to eat.”“喝一杯怎么樣?”“我寧愿來點吃的。”

注：would rather的否定式，通常要將not置于rather之后。如：I’d rather not say anything. 我寧可什么也不說。

二、后接完成式動詞后接完成式動詞，表示過去的想法，通常可譯為“（本來）寧愿做某事”。如：We went by sea, but I’ d rather have gone by air. 我們是乘船去的，可我本想乘飛機去。

“At that time, I would rather have been a factory worker than an animal keeper,” he said. “那時，我寧愿做一個工廠工人，也不愿做動物飼養員，”他說道。

三、后接從句后接從句時，從句謂語要用虛擬語氣。具體說來，有以下兩種情況：

1.指現在或將來用過去時。如：I would rather you didn’t mention the price. 我愿意你別提價錢。

I’d rather you knew that now, than afterwards. 我寧愿你現在知道而不是以后。

Don’t come and see me today—I’d rather you came tomorrow. 今天不要來看我——我希望你們明天來。

Tomorrow’s difficult. I’d rather yon came next weekend. 明天有困難。我希望你下周末來。

“We might go for a swim” “No,l’d rather we didn’t.” “我們去游泳吧。”“不，我想我們最好不去。”

“Shall I give you a cheque?” “I’ d rather you paid cash.” “我付給您支票行嗎?”“我想您最好付現金。”

Ann said that Bill wanted to go alone but that she’d rather he went with a group. 安說比爾想一個人去，但她寧愿他跟一大群人一起去。

2.指過去用過去完成時。如：I’d rather he hadn’t told me about it 我寧愿他未告訴我這件事。

Kate went by car and I’d rather she hadn’t. 凱特是坐汽車去的，我倒愿意她不是坐汽車去的。

I’d rather she had asked me before borrowing the car. 我真希望她先問我一聲再借車。

注：有時用于虛擬語氣語境中。如：If I’d lived in 1400, I’d rather have been a knight than a monk. 如果我生活在1400年，我寧愿當騎士，不當修道士。

If she’d had a chance, she’d rather have lived 100 years ago. 如果有機會她寧愿生活在100年前。