The children would rather spend their time playing football than studying.

[Tan Elaine]

Which of the following is the correct sentence?

The children would rather spend their time playing football than studying.
The boys would rather spend their time playing foorball than study.

Thanks.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

"Correct" in what way? There is a simple spelling error in one sentence. Correct that and then I will ask, 'Which one do you think is correct?'

 

[Tan Elaine]

Thanks, J&K Tutoring.

I have corrected the mistake.

My question is which sentence is grammatically correct.

The children would rather spend their time playing football than studying.
The children would rather spend their time playing foorball than study.

I think the second sentence is correct.

 

[GoesStation]

Both sentences would be correct if the spelling error in the second were fixed. The first answers the question "How would the children rather spend their time?" The second could answer the question "What would the children rather do?"

 

[J&K Tutoring]

GoesStation certainly has an acceptable response, but I doubt your teacher will like such an abstract response, and I don't particularly like it.

"What would the children rather do?" The boys would rather play football than study.

I prefer to see my students first learn to keep verb tenses the same, as in: The children would rather spend their time playing football than studying.

A useful way to look at it is to reverse the order:
1. The boys would rather study than spend their time playing football. This agrees with the response from GoesStation.
2. The children would rather spend their time studying than playing football.
Both reversals at correct, but #2 is simpler and more direct.

 

[Tan Elaine]

Thanks, J&K Tutoring, for your detailed reply.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

I hope you continue to enjoy digging into the details of the English language as much as I do!

 

[Tan Elaine]

I hope you continue to enjoy digging into the details of the English language as much as I do!

I certainly will.