1.用作连词(=but not),意为“而不”“不是……(而是)”“与其……(不如)”,前后连接的成分应该是平行的。
如:
He ranratherthan walked.他不是在走而是在跑。
He is a writerratherthan a teacher.与其说他是教师还不如说他是作家。
You are doing this for yourselfratherthan for others.你做这件事不是为别人而是为你自己。
It was what he meantratherthan what he said.这是他的意思,而不是他说的话。
2.由于既可视为连词也可视为介词,所以连接不定式时,后面一个不定式可带to或不带to(视为准并列连词时),也可用动名词(视为介词时)。
如:
I decided to stay at homeratherthan (to) go [going] to the cinema.我宁愿呆在家里也不愿去看电影。
但是,如果ratherthan 位于句首,其后的不定式通常不带to(也可用动名词)。
如:
Ratherthan waste [wasting] your time doing it yourself, why don’t you call in a builder? 你为什么宁愿浪费时间自己去干而不去请一个包工的呢?
Ratherthan use [using] the last of my cash, I decided to write a cheque.我决定开张支票而不把现金用光。
3.连接两个成分作主语时,其谓语动词的数通常与前面一个主语保持一致。
如:The teacherratherthan the students is to blame.应受责备的是老师而不是学生。
1、用作并列连词的例句:
Bryson decided toquitrather thanacceptthe new rules.并列二个不定式
Iprefercookingwitholiveoilrather thanbutter.并列二个名词
Lovers, for example, are generally kept apart by wars or politicalcircumstancesrather thanbysimplemisunderstandings.并列二个介词短语
And two whotipthescalesto theangelicside areproposingto use bombing to plantforestsrather thandestroythem.
There is no important theory-based reason why these countriesrather thanothers wereselected.并列二个主语
Mr O'Connor, however,stressedthe need for moreeffectivepolicingrather thanpolice numbers.并列二个介词宾语
Itpresumesthatrealityisdynamicrather thanstatic, and
thereforeseeksrelationshipsbetween ideas, toaimatsynthesis.并列二个表语形容词
She useslemonrather thanvinegarin hersaladdressings.并列二个宾语
2、用作介词的例句:
Rather thandriving around all day looking for somewhere topark, why don't you take abusintotown?
网友的句子中,rather than被用作复合介词,后接动名词构成介词短语,在句中作状语。