一、後接動詞原形
後接動詞原形，表示「寧願做某事」。
如：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》
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 invest time in Rebecca than in the kitchen.
我寧願把時間花在麗貝卡身上也不願花在廚房裡。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
I'd rather be told the truth than be lied to.
我寧願聽真話，不願被欺騙。
I've already seen that film, so I'd rather see another one.
我已經看過那部電影了，所以還是看部別的吧。
I'll go if you're going. If not, I'd rather stay at home.
你去我就去，否則我寧可待在家裡。
I would rather stay at home.
我寧願待在家裡。
《漢英大詞典》
I'd rather do it without anybody's help.
我寧願不要任何人幫助，自己幹這件事。
「How about a drink?」 「I'd rather have something to eat.」
「喝一杯怎麼樣?」「我寧願來點吃的。」
註：would rather的否定式，通常要將not置於rather之後。如：
I'd rather not say anything. 我寧可什麼也不說。
二、後接完成式動詞
後接完成式動詞，表示過去的想法，通常可譯為「(本來)寧願做某事」。
如：We went by sea, but I' d rather have gone by air.
我們是乘船去的，可我本想乘飛機去。
「At that time, I would rather have been a factory worker than an animal keeper,」 he said.
「那時，我寧願做一個工廠工人，也不願做動物飼養員，」他說道。
三、後接從句
後接從句時，從句謂語要用虛擬語氣。具體說來，有以下兩種情況：
1. 指現在或將來用過去時。
如：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》
I would rather you didn't mention the price.
我願意你別提價錢。
I'd rather you knew that now, than afterwards.
我寧願你現在知道而不是以後。
Don't come and see me today—I'd rather you came tomorrow.
今天不要來看我——我希望你們明天來。
Tomorrow's difficult. I'd rather yon came next weekend.
明天有困難。我希望你下周末來。
「We might go for a swim」 「No,l'd rather we didn't.」
「我們去遊泳吧。」「不，我想我們最好不去。」
「Shall I give you a cheque?」 「I' d rather you paid cash.」
「我付給您支票行嗎?」「我想您最好付現金。」
Ann said that Bill wanted to go alone but that she'd rather he went with a group. 安說比爾想一個人去，但她寧願他跟一大群人一起去。
2. 指過去用過去完成時。
如：I'd rather he hadn't told me about it.
我寧願他未告訴我這件事。
Kate went by car and I'd rather she hadn't.
凱特是坐汽車去的，我倒願意她不是坐汽車去的。
I'd rather she had asked me before borrowing the car.
我真希望她先問我一聲再借車。
註：有時用於虛擬語氣語境中。
如：If I'd lived in 1400, I'd rather have been a knight than a monk.
如果我生活在1400年，我寧願當騎士，不當修道士。
If she'd had a chance, she'd rather have lived 100 years ago.
如果有機會她寧願生活在100年前。
I have no information one way or the other, but I would rather he do it than not do it.
我沒有辦法得到情報，但是我寧願他去做。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
四、用於would rather…than…結構
此結構表示「寧願(做)……而不願(做)……」。
如：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》
He would rather have a decent death which served some purpose than ameaningless 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 computersystems.
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》
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》
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》
He himself believed in freedom, so much so that he would rather die than live without 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》
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》
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'd rather go hungry than eat that!
我寧可挨餓也不吃那種東西!
I' d rather pay his fine for him than let him go to prison.
我寧願替他交罰款，也不願讓他蹲監獄。
He would rather have the small one than (have) the large one.
他寧願要小的那個，而不願要大的。
I'd rather use my money than leave it lying in the bank.
我寧可把錢花了也不想存在銀行裡。
I'd rather have a room of my own. however small (it is), than share a room.
無論房間多麼小，我寧願一個人住一間，而不願意與別人合住一個房間。
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》
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》
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》
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 somepot 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》
五、用於口語表達I'd rather not
口語中說I'd rather not，表示委婉的不同意，其意為「我不想再……」，「我不想，我不願……」。
如：I'd rather not dwell on the past.
我不想再沉湎於過去了。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
Sorry. I'd rather not talk about it
抱歉，我不願意談論這個。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
I'd rather not talk about it too much because I don't like giving trade secrets away.
我不願就此多談，因為我不想洩露秘密。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
Would you like that? Don't hesitate to say no if you'd rather not.
你喜歡那個嗎？如果你不喜歡就直說。
《柯林斯高階英漢雙解學習詞典》
「Are you coming with us?」 「I'd rather not.」
「你和我們一起來嗎?「」我不想。」
「Some more wine」 「Thank you. I'd rather not. I have to drive home.」
「再來一點酒好嗎？」「不要了，我不能再喝了。我還得開車回家呢。」
The boys' d rather go by air, wouldn't they?
男孩子更願意坐飛機走，對嗎?
You'd rather not wake a sleeping dog, would you?
你總不想沒事找麻煩，對吧?
當然，口語中用肯定形式時，表示「我還是想……」
'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》