一、would rather不接從句用法
（1）would rather do sth than do sth 寧願做……而不願做……（非虛擬語氣）
例：
Liu Hulan would rather die than surrender before the enemy.
劉胡蘭在敵人面前寧死不屈。《漢英大詞典》
Kids would rather play than study
孩子們寧願玩也不願學習。《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
He would rather shoot himself than compromise his principles.
他寧願一槍打死自己也不願違背自己的原則。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
He himself believed in freedom, so much so that he would rather die than livewithout it.
他非常崇尚自由，不自由，毋寧死。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
Most men would rather go to the grave than own up to feelings of dependency.
大多數男人寧死都不願承認有依賴感。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
She would rather perjure herself than admit to her sins.
她寧願在法庭上撒謊也不願承認她的罪行。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
They would rather take the line of least resistance than become involved inarguments.
他們傾向採用阻力最小的方案，不願捲入紛爭。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
I would rather pay for a meal than watch nine friends pick over and split a bill
我寧可掏錢請客，也不願看到9位朋友算來算去分攤帳單。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
He would rather die than live in dishonour.
他寧死不願忍辱偷生。《漢英大詞典》
I would rather be honest with people than tell them that there is going to be some pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
我寧肯實話實說也不願意給予他們不切實際的期望。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
I would rather pay the individuals than let the money go to the State by default.
我寧願把這些錢付給個人，也不願它們因未作任何處置而自動地歸國家所有。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
She would rather die than turn against his motherland.
她寧可死也不去背叛祖國。
He would rather be killed in a race than die a lingering death in hospital.
他寧肯在比賽中丟了性命也不願在醫院裡苟延殘喘。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
We would rather withdraw the draft resolution than amend it.
與其修改決議草案，不如予以撤回。
《漢英大詞典》
I have no information one way or the other, but I would rather he do it than not doit
我沒有辦法得到情報，但是我寧願他去做（而不願他不做）。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
He would rather have a decent death which served some purpose than a meaningless death.
他寧願死得其所，也不想無謂地死去。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
The chairman quipped that he would rather sell his airline than his computer systems.
主席風趣地說，他寧可賣掉他的航空公司，也不願出售他的計算機系統。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
I would rather stare at a clear, star-filled sky than a TV set
我寧可凝視繁星滿天的晴朗夜空也不願盯著電視機。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
（2）would rather do 寧願做某事；更願意做某事；更想做某事（非虛擬語氣）
此時would rather直接後接動詞原形，不帶從句：
They want a house, whereas we would rather live in a flat.
他們想要一所房子，我們則寧願住一套房間。
《漢英大詞典》
I personally would rather roast a chicken whole.
我個人更願意烤整隻雞。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
I would rather stay at home.
我寧願待在家裡。
《漢英大詞典》
'You said you'd stay till tomorrow.' — 'I know, Bel, but I think I would rather goback.'
「你說過你要呆到明天的。」——「我知道，貝爾，但我還是想回去。」
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
I』d rather not fly. I hate planes.我寧願不乘飛機，我討厭坐飛機。
(3) would rather have done sth 寧願過去做過某事（虛擬語氣）；此時would rather直接後接動詞原形，不帶從句
當要表達過去發生的事情時，會採用would rather have done的用法，此時的用法其實是虛擬語氣，往往表達與事實相反或不符的情況。would rather have done sth 寧願過去做過某事（虛擬語氣）如：
She would rather have spent the money on a holiday. (實際錢沒有花在度假上)
她寧願花錢去度假。
I would rather have taken his advice.
我寧願過去接受他的意見。
二、would rather後接從句用法
當後接不同主語的從句時，從句中的謂語動詞要採用虛擬語氣的用法。如果是對現在或將來情況的描述，從句的謂語動詞採用一般過去時的形式；如果是對過去情況的描述，從句的謂語動詞採用過去完成時的形式。
1 ) " would rather +主語+動詞過去式"表示對現在或將來的情況的虛擬表述。例:
I would rather you went next Sunday．
我願你下星期天去。
I would rather they did something about it instead of just talking about it.
我寧願他們做點什麼而不是僅僅談論它。
Would you rather I wasn』t honest with you?
你寧願我對你不誠實嗎？
I would rather Lionel took it on
我寧願萊昂內爾負責這件事。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
2 ) " would rather +主語+動詞過去完成式"表示對過去的情況的虛擬表述。例：
I'd rather you had not given up the job then.
要是你當時不放棄那個工作就好了。
I』d rather you hadn』t rung me at work.
我寧願你工作時沒給我打電話。
I would rather I had passed the examination last week.
我真希望通過上星期的考試。
（三）would much rather
當我們要強調時，會採用would much rather的用法。在口語中，我們會重讀much以示強調。如：
I』d much rather make a phone call than send an email.
我寧願打電話也不願發電子郵件。
She』d much rather they didn』t know about what had happened.
她寧願他們不知道發生了什麼事。
I would much rather that you asked Mrs Zuckerman any questions pertaining to herself.
我寧願你問楚克爾曼夫人的是與她本人相關的問題。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
pertaining to有關;適合;屬於;屬於,關於[pəˈteɪnɪŋ]
He would much rather have been crooning in a smoky bar
他寧願在煙霧繚繞的酒吧里哼唱歌曲。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
croon v. [kruːn]低聲哼唱
The man was crooning soft words of encouragement to his wife.
那個男人正溫柔地輕聲鼓勵他的妻子。
訓練：
----Shall we go skating or stay at home?
----Which ___ do?
A. do you rather B. would you rather C. will you rather D. should you rather
分析題意：本題考查would rather的用法，would rather +do sth 意為"寧願"，本題為疑問句，would 提前，所以選B。