三、rather than用作从属连词，引导一种优选分句。
R.Quirk在《英语语法大全》p.1540指出：优先分句主要用从属连词rather than和sooner than引导，用不带to的不定式作该分句的谓语动词：
22)Rather than go there by air,I'd take the slowest train.
我宁愿乘最慢的火车，也不愿乘飞机去那儿。
1) rather than此处是介词短语，意思是"与其"、"不是"，相当于instead of。如：
I think you, rather than Mary, is to be punished.
我认为该受惩罚的是你，而不是玛丽。
Rather than fish, well have fried eggs and meat for lunch.
今天午餐吃煎蛋和肉，而没有鱼。
The colour seems green rather than blue.
这颜色看上去是绿的，而不是蓝的。
I always prefer starting early, rather than leaving everything to the last minute. 任何事情我总是喜欢早点做，不要到最后。
Ill have a cold drink rather than coffee. 我要喝冷饮，不想喝咖啡。
2)rather than可以和would连用，如would rather…than…或would…rather than…这时要注意"平行问题，即其前后必须用相同的语法单位。如：
Id rather have the red one than(have)the green one.
我宁愿要红的，不愿要绿的。
Id take the slowest train rather than go there by air.
我宁可乘坐最慢的火车也不愿坐飞机去那儿。
He would rather walk than drive. 他宁愿步行不愿开车。
Id prefer to go in August rather than in July. 我愿八月去，不愿七月去。
Id call her hair chestnut rather than brown.
我宁愿说她的头发是栗色，而不是棕色。
【注意】I’d rather +动词原形，通常意为"我宁愿……"，相当于"Id prefer to…"，具有选择意义，即"宁愿做……不愿做"。但是，当后接动词like, enjoy, appreciate时，rather是一个程度副词，象quite和fairly一样无选择意义，所以Id rather like不是"我宁愿喜欢"，而是"我相当(很)喜欢"。试比较下列句子：
①"Id rather like a cup of coffee." "Oh, would you? Id rather have a beer. " "我很想来杯咖啡。""噢，是吗?我宁愿喝杯啤酒。"
②We would rather appreciate your help. 我们非常感谢你的帮助。
③Which would you rather have, tea or coffee? 你更愿意喝什么，茶还是咖啡?
④He would rather enjoy seeing a film on Sundays. 他很喜欢在星期天看场电影。
