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Would rather/sooner has a meaning similar to would prefer and can be followed by a bare
infinitive or by a clause with the past subjunctive or the past perfect subjunctive. There is no
difference in meaning between would rather and would sooner, but would rather is more
common.
I'd rather go by bike than walk. (I'd prefer to go by bike rather than walk.)
Where would you rather sleep? (Where would you prefer to sleep?)
I'd rather be writing my paper. (I'd prefer to be writing my paper.)
I would rather not go out tonight. (I'd prefer not to go out tonight.)
If we leave out rather, we get the main clause of a sentence in the second conditional:
Would you rather have had pork than beef? (Would you have preferred pork to
beef?)
I'd rather have walked, but I went by bus because it was raining. (I would have
liked to walk, but I went by bus because it was raining.)
If we omit rather, we get the main clause of a sentence in the third conditional:
I'd rather you didn't smoke in here. (I'd prefer you not to smoke in here.)
Tim would sooner I returned his camera. (Tim would like me to return his camera.)
Where would you rather I slept? (Where would you prefer me to sleep?)
I'd rather this whole thing had never happened. (I wish it had never happened.)
What would you rather I had done? (What would you have preferred me to do?)