jiang
Key Member
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2003
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Chinese
- Home Country
- China
- Current Location
- China
:?
Last time I ask about the choice
Rather than ______trouble, he left.
a. cause b. to cause c. causing d. caused
And the following is how Mikenewyork explained
"Rather than" can be a conjunction or a preposition. As a conjunction it means "and not", as "in shaken rather than stirred". It is that use that calls for parallel items. In this case, "rather than" is a preposition calling for a noun object. Choice a is the best; it is a bare infinitive noun. I would also say that choice c is correct; that would be a gerund noun. The only reason to choose a over c is that an infinitive is often used for potential action and a gerund is often used for actual action. Since this action has not occurred, the infinitive would be more idiomatic.
I seemed to understand the explanation until it occurred to me there are
sentences such as 'He ran rather than walked'. In this sentence 'rather than' is a conjunction, if I am correct.
I'd like to ask whether my understanding is correct or not:
If 'rather than' is put at the beginning of a sentence then it is a preposition. If it is put in the middle of a sentence then it is a conjunction and then parelleled structure is required.
So if I write the sentence 'He left rather than caused trouble' it is correct. If I put 'rather than ' at the beginning then it should be ' Rather than cause trouble he left'.
Am I right?
Thanks!
Jiang
Last time I ask about the choice
Rather than ______trouble, he left.
a. cause b. to cause c. causing d. caused
And the following is how Mikenewyork explained
"Rather than" can be a conjunction or a preposition. As a conjunction it means "and not", as "in shaken rather than stirred". It is that use that calls for parallel items. In this case, "rather than" is a preposition calling for a noun object. Choice a is the best; it is a bare infinitive noun. I would also say that choice c is correct; that would be a gerund noun. The only reason to choose a over c is that an infinitive is often used for potential action and a gerund is often used for actual action. Since this action has not occurred, the infinitive would be more idiomatic.
I seemed to understand the explanation until it occurred to me there are
sentences such as 'He ran rather than walked'. In this sentence 'rather than' is a conjunction, if I am correct.
I'd like to ask whether my understanding is correct or not:
If 'rather than' is put at the beginning of a sentence then it is a preposition. If it is put in the middle of a sentence then it is a conjunction and then parelleled structure is required.
So if I write the sentence 'He left rather than caused trouble' it is correct. If I put 'rather than ' at the beginning then it should be ' Rather than cause trouble he left'.
Am I right?
Thanks!
Jiang