Using ‘would rather’ correctly in English.

English Grammar lesson to learn using would rather correctly with past tense, present perfect tense and past perfect tense 

Finished watching the lesson, now it’s time to test what you’ve learned from this English lesson. Take the Quiz below.

1. I’d rather _______ a walk.

 take

 took

2. He would rather Maria  ______ with him.

 went

 goes

3. I’d rather ___________ a new phone,

 had bought

 have bought

4. Choose the correct negative sentence:

S1 – She’d rather you hadn’t eaten her chocolate.
S2 – She hadn’t rather you eaten her chocolate.

 S1

 S2

5. Choose the correct negative sentence:

S1 – I’d rather don’t come to see you.
S2 – I’d rather not come to see you.

 S1

 S2

6. We’d rather you ______ us first.

 met

 meet

7. I’d rather _____ my own plans

 made

 make

8. He’d rather you ___________ for him.

 waited

 had waited

9. I’d rather   ________ a new dress.

 wear

 wore

10. I’d rather ________________ English than Spanish.

 have learned

 had learned

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Question 1 of 10

Speaking English is quite difficult, but if you know how to use the correct English Grammar phrases, you would never struggle. In this English Grammar lesson, you’re going to learn how to use ‘would rather’ to express a preference with the same and different subject in a sentence.

Would rather with the same subject:

• Example: I’d rather go for dinner. (used for the present and future)
• Example: I’d rather not fly. I hate planes.  (negative-use not in the would rather clause)
• Example: She’d rather have spent the money on a vacation. (it means she didn’t spend the money on a vacation in the past).

To express a past preference, use the present perfect tense.

Would rather with a different subject:

• Example: I’d rather you went for dinner. ( where I prefer you going for dinner)

Use a simple past tense when you prefer that someone else does something

• Example: She’d rather you didn’t phone her after 10 pm. (negative)

Use the negative in the second clause and not in the would rather clause when you have two subjects in the sentence, even though you are talking about a present preference.

• Example: I’d rather you hadn’t rung me at work. (past tense)

Use the past perfect tense when you say that you preferred someone else doing or not doing something in the past.