Would rather!!!

[zoobinshid]

Hello everybody,
Would you please tell me what is the past tense of (would rather)?Does it have past tense at all?

[Kait]

I think you'd use :

Would have rather

like

I would rather go fishing

and then after you go fishing you'd say

I would have rather we'd not gone fishing

[Sebaylias]

No it has no past tense because it's not the main verb, it's a modal auxillary.

The past tense would be marked on the main verb of the sentence or by reference to the past through other tenses (a confusing issue for learners of English).

SO,
I would rather have eaten the dog than her cooking.

You do hear is conversation sometimes:

I would have rathered she didn't come with us yesterday.

[matilda]

dear zoobinshid

the term you said(would rather ) doesn't have a past form. as you know , would rather means preference, when you prefer s.th to another .
so , there is no need to use a past forn.
but you can use ( used to) if necessary.

for example youy can say :{ 10 years ago , i used to wake up at 6.30 n the morning and go to bed at 10.00 every night. } this sentence will show your preference in the past.( what you liked to do in a specific time.)

hope it helps

matilda

[zoobinshid]

Originally Posted by matilda

:{ 10 years ago , i used to wake up at 6.30 n the morning and go to bed at 10.00 every night. } this sentence will show your preference in the past.( what you liked to do in a specific time.)
hope it helps
matilda

Dear Matilda,
thanks for your idea and reply,but are you sure we use (used to )to show preference for something.I think used to is somehow equal to (would),but not (would rather).

[matilda]

dear zoobinshid

I always find every answer in webster.
according to that, (used to) can be a used for the past tense of ( would rather)
you can try Webster , if u arent sure


Matilda