问英语
原书主词条 · 2 个连续词条

I'd rather

原书 PDF 第 1254 页

I'd rather1

问

“John wants to see you today.”“I would rather he ____ tomorrow than today.”

A. comes B. came C. should come D. has come(TOEFL)

正确答案为 B(came)。但是我不明白为什么动词的过去时 came 与将来时间 tomorrow 连用。

答

宾语从句中的过去时(came)并非陈述语气的过去时,而是虚拟语气的过去时,它不是指过去,而是指现在或将来。I'd rather 这个句型表示可能实现、也可能难以实现的愿望。例如:

  1. I would rather you didn't invite too many people. 我宁愿你不邀请太多的人。

  2. I'd rather you were happy. 我宁愿你幸福。

  3. I would much rather it was forgotten. (Du Maurier) 我宁愿这件事被遗忘了。

  4. I'd rather you told me the truth. (Eckersley) 我宁愿你告诉我实情。

  5. Would you rather I did it? (Wood) 你愿意我来做这件事吗?

  6. I'd rather you didn't mention the price. (CGEL) 我宁愿你不提价钱。

  7. Many residents would rather that the bus service were subsidized. (CGEL) 许多居民宁愿给公共汽车服务人员发津贴。

如果想指过去,就必须用过去完成时:

I'd rather you hadn't told me about it. 我宁愿你未曾把这件事告诉我。

[附注]在 I'd rather 之后的宾语从句中,亦可使用一般现在时,但较罕见:

I'd rather you go home now. 我宁愿你现在就回家。

[参见 would rather ('d rather) (that)]

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-7.md · 3944—3979 行PDF：第 1254 页 · I'd rather 1-2

I'd rather2

问

I'd rather you would go by train, because I can't bear the idea of your being in an airplane in A B C

such bad weather. (全国研考,96-11)

D

谢振元教授主编《研究生入学考试英语复习指南》(1997)(中国人民大学出版社)对上题的解答是：

“I’d rather = I would rather 后接动词原形, 故应将(A)中的‘would go’改为动词原形 go。‘would’是赘词, 应删去”(p.420)。该书 1998 年版(p.485)也是这么解答的。

请问该书的改法和解释是否正确？

答

上面的改法和解释是完全错误的。该书编者把下列两种句型混为一谈了：

(A)'d rather + 动词原形。注意: 在此句型中动词原形的逻辑主语应是句子的主语。

(B) I'd rather + (that) 宾语从句。上面的试题属此种句型。在这种句型中，宾语从句的主语与句子的主语一般是不一致的。当宾语从句中的谓语动词表示现在或将来时间时，要用虚拟语气的过去时。因此上面试题中的“would go”应改为“went”。请对照下面实例：

  1. “Shall I drive?” “I’d rather you didn’t.” “我可以开车吗?”“我希望你不要开。”

  2. I'd rather you were happy. 我宁愿你幸福。

上面研考英语试题的意思是：

我宁愿你乘火车去,因为我要是想到你在这样恶劣的天气里坐在飞机里,那我是无法忍受的。(参见 I'd rather 1^{1} )

练习

  1. I'd rather you ____ make any comment on the issue for the time being.

    1. A

      don't

    2. B

      wouldn't

    3. C

      didn't

    4. D

      shouldn't(全国四级,98.6-48)

  2. Frankly speaking, I'd rather you ____ anything about it for the time being.

    1. A

      have done

    2. B

      haven't done

    3. C

      don't do

    4. D

      didn't do(全国四级,99.1-66)

  3. I'd rather you ____ those important documents with you.

    1. A

      don't take

    2. B

      didn't take

    3. C

      won't take

    4. D

      not take(全国六级,93.6-66)

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-7.md · 3980—4021 行PDF：第 1254 页 · I'd rather 1-2