Would rather/sooner' to express preference

Would + rather/sooner + bare infinitive [> 16.5] expresses our personal preference, or enables us to talk about someone else's This can refer to present time

I'd rather/sooner be a miner than a bank clerk

He'd rather (not) go by car or to past time

If I d lived in 1400 I'd rather have been a knight than a monk

If she d had the chance she'd rather have lived 100 years ago

Advisability duty/obligation and necessity

In negative responses, we can omit the infinitive Are you coming with us⁹ - I'd rather not Would you rather have been a knight? - I'd rather not (have been)

Would rather/sooner can be modified by far and (very) much I'd far (or much) rather be happy than rich I'd far (or much) sooner be young than old

11.45 'Would rather/sooner' + clause

Would rather and would sooner can introduce a clause with its own subject (different from the subject of would rather/sooner) We use this construction when we want to say what we would prefer someone or something else to do or to be / d rather/sooner he/Jack (etc) left on an earlier train

Note the use of past tenses after / d rather + clause

- the past with present or future reference I'd rather you were happy (or weren't unhappy) I'd rather she sat (or didn't sit) next to me

- the past perfect with past reference I'd rather you had been/hadn't been present I'd rather he had told/hadn't told me about it

When expressing negative preferences (to refer to the present or future), we can use didn t to avoid repeating the main verb

You always go without me and I'd rather you didn't We can use hadn t in the same way to refer to the past

Katie went by car and I'd rather she hadn't

Short responses to express preferences are possible as follows present and future Frank wants to buy a motorbike - I'd rather

he didn't
past / ve told everyone about it - I'd rather you

Hadn't

Advisability, duty/obligation and necessity

Examples of forms expressing advisability, etc.

Present advisability past advisability not acted upon

/ should stop smoking I should have stopped smoking

I ought to stop smoking I ought to have stopped smoking

I d better stop smoking (I was advised to stop but

(I still smoke) ignored the advice)