湖北 覃云華
would rather是英語中常見的慣用的結(jié)構(gòu)形式(美國英語中多用had rather)。would rather的縮寫成“'d rather”形式,would在此毫無“過去”之意,且無詞性、時(shí)態(tài)的變化。
為了幫助同學(xué)們正確地學(xué)習(xí)和使用would rather,現(xiàn)將其常見用法歸納如下:
一、would rather+動詞原形
“would rather+動詞原形”形式,意為“寧可……;寧愿……;最好……”,常用來表示選擇的意愿。其否定形式為“would rather not do sth.”。例如:
①The old man would rather donate money to charity than buy himself expensive things.這位老人寧愿將錢捐給慈善組織,也不愿為自己買昂貴的東西。
② You'd rather not wake a sleeping dog,would you?你總不想沒事找麻煩,對吧?
二、would rather...than...
would rather與than連用,可以構(gòu)成另一個(gè)慣用句式,即“would rather...than...”或“would...rather than...”,意為“寧可(愿)……(而)不要(愿)……”“與其……不如……”用以表達(dá)主語的意愿,強(qiáng)調(diào)經(jīng)過選擇后做其中的一件事,而不愿做另一件事。例如:
①—Driving less,walking more is good for our health.開車越少,走路越多對我們的健康越有好處。
—So I'd rather take an hour's walk to work than consider driving a car.所以我寧愿花一個(gè)小時(shí)步行去上班,也不考慮開車去上班。
②—Let's play football on the playground.讓我們在操場上踢足球吧。
—It's too hot outside.I would stay at home rather than go out.外面太熱了。我寧愿待在家里也不愿出去。
【注意】在使用would rather...than...結(jié)構(gòu)時(shí),應(yīng)注意以下幾點(diǎn):
1.would rather...than.../would...rather than...也可以顛倒為rather than...would...。would(rather)和than后都接不帶to的動詞不定式,若選用的動詞相同,那么than后的動詞可以省略。例如:
①I would rather have rice than noodle.我寧愿吃米飯也不吃面條。
②Rather than work in such bad condition,he would give up.與其在這樣差的條件下工作,他寧愿放棄。
2.使用“would rather...than...”句型時(shí),要注意“平行結(jié)構(gòu)”,即在than的前后要用兩個(gè)同類的詞或詞組,如兩個(gè)名詞、兩個(gè)動詞不定式、兩個(gè)介詞短語等。例如:
①I would rather go to work by bike than by bus.我寧愿騎自行車也不愿乘公共汽車去上班。
②I would rather talk with his mother than with his father.我寧愿和他媽說話而不愿和他爸說話。
③I would rather fail than cheat in the examination.我寧愿考試不及格,也不愿意考試作弊。
三、would rather與would rather...than...用于疑問句
在疑問句中,would rather與would rather...than...中的would要放在主語之前。例如:
① Which would you rather have,apples or bananas?你喜歡吃蘋果還是香蕉?
②Would you rather read a novel than read a poem?你寧愿看小說而不愿朗讀詩歌嗎?
四、would rather+從句
“would rather+從句”是一個(gè)常用的虛擬語氣句型,該句型中的謂語動詞一般用過去時(shí)來表示現(xiàn)在或?qū)怼F湟鉃椤皩幵浮?;還是……好些”“一個(gè)人寧愿另一個(gè)人做某事”。
在這類句型中,引導(dǎo)從句的that常被省略。在談到過去的動作時(shí),謂語動詞則用過去完成時(shí)態(tài)。例如:
①John wants to see me today.I would rather he came to tomorrow than today.約翰今天想去看我。我寧愿他明天來看我而不是今天。(句中came不是表示過去而是表示將來)
②We'd rather he paid us the money tomorrow.我們寧愿他明天付給我們那筆錢。
③I'd rather she had asked me before borrowing the car.我真希望她先問我一聲再借車。
1.His uncle would rather_______the old bike than _______a new one.
【2015·煙臺中考題】
A.repair;to buy B.to repair;buy
C.repair;buy D.to repair;to buy
【答案與解析】C 本題考查動詞不定式的用法。句意為“他叔叔寧愿_______舊自行車也不愿意_______一輛新的?!眗epair意為“修理”,buy意為“買”。 would rather do sth.than do sth.意為“寧愿做某事而不愿做某事”。根據(jù)語境選項(xiàng)C符合題意。
2.I prefer_______the failure rather than_______my dream.
【2018·龍東中考題】
A.experience;to give up
B.to experience;give up
C.experiencing;giving up
【答案與解析】C 本題考查prefer及rather than的用法。句意:我寧愿經(jīng)歷失敗,也不會放棄夢想。prefer意為“更喜歡……”,與動詞連用時(shí)用動詞-ing形式;...rather than...意為“……而不愿……”,rather than前后連接的是相同的部分。故選擇C項(xiàng)。
3.—Are you going swimming this afternoon?
—I'd rather _______with you.
【2016·蘭州中考題】
A.to go shopping B.go shoping
C.to go shoping D.go shopping
【答案與解析】D 答句中I'd rather是I would rather的縮寫形式。would rather意為“寧愿”,后面接動詞原形,排除A、C兩項(xiàng);shop的動詞-ing形式為shopping,排除B項(xiàng)。故選擇D項(xiàng)。
一、根據(jù)句意,從A、B、C、D四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中選擇最佳選項(xiàng)。
1.—Which do you prefer, Chinese food or Western food?
—I would rather_______Chinese food.Let's have noodles.
A.to have B.having
C.had D.have
2.At present,many people would rather_______in the country because there is _______pollution in the city.
A.live;more B.to live;less
C.live;less D.to live;more
3.—I won't go to the concert this evening.I_______watch the NBA on TV.It's more exciting.
A.had better B.would rather
C.ought to D.have to
4.—Would you like some fried rice?
—I would rather eat noodles _______have beef in them.
A.that B.than
C.what D.as
二、根據(jù)漢語句子,完成下列英語句子。每空詞數(shù)不限。
5.他寧可住在鄉(xiāng)下,也不愿意在城市里謀生。
He'd rather__________________________.
6.她寧愿嚴(yán)格要求自己也不愿放棄夢想。
She would rathe________________________r__.
7.但愿他不會把這件事告訴她。
I would rather he__________________________about it.
8.你比較喜歡成為一位歌手還是合唱團(tuán)中的一員?
__________________________a solo artist or in a group?
9.我倒想不告訴你為好。
__________________________you.
10.我真希望你那天沒有把那消息告訴他。
I'd rather __________________________the news that day.