English — would rather / would sooner
Would rather (and its equivalent would sooner) expresses preference. For your own preference it takes a bare infinitive: I'd rather stay home. To say what you want someone else to do, use a past-tense clause: I'd rather you didn't smoke here.
How it works
With the same subject, use would rather + bare infinitive: I'd rather walk. Add a contrast with than + bare infinitive: I'd rather walk than drive. With a different subject, use would rather + subject + past tense (the past subjunctive): I'd rather you left now; She'd rather we didn't tell him.
Examples
| Example | Structure / use |
|---|---|
| I'd rather stay in tonight. | own preference: + bare infinitive |
| I'd rather walk than drive. | contrast: than + bare infinitive |
| I'd rather not talk about it. | negative: rather + not + infinitive |
| I'd rather you didn't smoke here. | other subject: + past tense (present meaning) |
| I'd rather you had told me earlier. | other subject, past regret: + past perfect |
| I'd sooner die than give up. | would sooner: same meaning, more emphatic |
Good to know
Do not use to or an -ing form after would rather: say I'd rather go, not I'd rather to go or I'd rather going. With a different subject the past tense has present meaning — I'd rather you didn't means "please don't now," not a reference to the past. Also note than takes a bare infinitive too, so avoid I'd rather walk than to drive.