1. rather than 與would 連用時，構成“would rather...than...”句式，意思是“寧願……而不願……”，表示主觀願望，即在兩者之中選擇其一;當初要是……，會比……更好；與其……倒不如；例如：
She"d rather die than lose the children. 她寧願死也不願失去孩子們。
It would have been better to have thinned the trees over several winters rather than all at one time
當初要是分幾個冬天疏剪樹木，會比一下子疏剪完效果好。
I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light.
與其在光明中獨行倒不如在黑暗裡與神共舞。
2. rather than 不與would連用時，表示客觀事實，意為“是……而不是……；與其……不如……”。它連線的並列成分可以是名詞、代詞、形容詞、介詞(短語)、動名詞、分句、不定式、動詞等。現分述如下：
(1) 連線兩個名詞或代詞
They aim at quality rather than quantity.
他們的目的在於提高質量而不是增加數量
He is an explorer rather than a sailor. 與其說他是一個海員，不如說他是一個Explorer。
Much of her work is speculative, based on psychoanalytic theoryrather than empirical data.
她的著作中有相當一部分內容是推測性的，建立在精神分析理論之上而缺乏來自實際經驗的資料。
Boxing is a test of skill and technique, rather than brute strength.
拳擊考驗的是技能和技術，不是蠻力。
I still think it"s a bit of a cheek sending a voucher rather than a refund
我還是認為，他們寄來優惠購物券，而不是退款，真是有些厚顏無恥。
When I"m going out in the evening I use the bike if I can rather than the car.
我晚上要外出的時候，我寧願騎腳踏車而不是開車。
The report"s focus is on how technology affects human life ratherthan business
這個報告關注的是技術如何影響人類生活而非商業活動。
You rather than I are going to go camping. 是你而不是我要去要野營。
John，rather than his roommates，is to blame.
要受責備的是約翰，而不是他的室友們。
注意：rather than 連線兩個名詞或代詞作主語時，謂語動詞應與rather than 前面的名詞或代詞在人稱和數上保持一致。
(2) 連線兩個形容詞、副詞
Much of the food pleases rather than excites
這些食物中許多隻是讓人滿意，但並不讓人興奮。
The sweater she bought was beautiful rather than cheap. 與其說她買的這件羊毛衫便宜不如說它漂亮。
The ship sank quickly rather than slowly.
船沉得很快，而不是很慢。
He usually gets up early rather than late.
他經常起得早，而不是起得晚。
(3) 連線兩個介詞(短語)或動詞的－ ing 形式、過去分詞
I’d prefer to read in the library rather than at home.
我寧願在圖書館看書，也不願在家裡看書。
I’d prefer to do it in this way rather than in that way.
我喜歡這樣做，而不願意那樣做。
He went to the park in the evening rather than in the morning.
他喜歡晚上去公園，而不喜歡早上去。
We will have the meeting in the classroom rather than in the great hall. 我們是在教室裡開會，不是在大廳裡。
She enjoys singing rather than dancing. 她喜歡唱歌，而不喜歡跳舞。
They use opium as a sedative, rather than as a narcotic.
他們把鴉片用作鎮靜劑而不是毒品。
She likes dancing rather than singing.
她喜歡跳舞，而不喜歡唱歌。
It is snowing rather than raining outside.
外面在下雪，而不是在下雨。
She is laughing rather than crying.
她是在笑，而不是在哭。
He had the house rebuilt rather than repaired.
他寧願重建房子，而不願修繕。
(4) 連線兩個分句
We should help him rather than he should help us. 是我們應該幫助他而不是他應該幫助我們。
Let"s get it over with as soon as possible, rather than drag it out.
我們儘快把它完成吧，不要再拖了。
We should help him rather than he should help us.
我們應該幫助他，而不是他應該幫助我們。
It was what he meant rather than what he said.
那是指他話中的意思，而不是他所說的話。
(5) 連線兩個不定式
I decided to write rather than (to) telephone. 我決定寫信而不打電話。
注意：rather than 後接不定式時，不定式可以帶to，也可以不帶to, 如上句。但rather than位於句首時，則只能接不帶to 的不定式。如：Rather than allow the vegetables to go bad, he sold them at half price. 他唯恐蔬菜爛掉，把它們以半價賣掉了。
(6) 連線兩個動詞
Rather than have the radio repaired，he’d like to buy a new one.
與其修理那部收音機，他想還不如買一部新的。
She left rather than stayed at home.
她不是呆在家裡，而是走了。
He ran rather than walked. 他是跑來的，而不是走來的。
注意：這裡rather than 後用了walked，而沒有用walk，表示客觀事實，而不是主觀願望。如果換成walk，則作“寧願……而不願 ……”解。
Rather than cause trouble，he went away.
他寧可走開而不願惹麻煩。
He committed suicide rather than face the shame of being linked to the scandal.
他選擇了自殺，不願面對牽扯進這樁醜聞所帶來的恥辱。
Do you work hard for success rather than daydream about it?
rather than 是一個並列連詞，用法比較複雜，現歸納如下：
1. rather than 與would 連用時，構成“would rather...than...”句式，意思是“寧願……而不願……”，表示主觀願望，即在兩者之中選擇其一;當初要是……，會比……更好；與其……倒不如；例如：
She"d rather die than lose the children. 她寧願死也不願失去孩子們。
It would have been better to have thinned the trees over several winters rather than all at one time
當初要是分幾個冬天疏剪樹木，會比一下子疏剪完效果好。
I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light.
與其在光明中獨行倒不如在黑暗裡與神共舞。
2. rather than 不與would連用時，表示客觀事實，意為“是……而不是……；與其……不如……”。它連線的並列成分可以是名詞、代詞、形容詞、介詞(短語)、動名詞、分句、不定式、動詞等。現分述如下：
(1) 連線兩個名詞或代詞
They aim at quality rather than quantity.
他們的目的在於提高質量而不是增加數量
He is an explorer rather than a sailor. 與其說他是一個海員，不如說他是一個Explorer。
Much of her work is speculative, based on psychoanalytic theoryrather than empirical data.
她的著作中有相當一部分內容是推測性的，建立在精神分析理論之上而缺乏來自實際經驗的資料。
Boxing is a test of skill and technique, rather than brute strength.
拳擊考驗的是技能和技術，不是蠻力。
I still think it"s a bit of a cheek sending a voucher rather than a refund
我還是認為，他們寄來優惠購物券，而不是退款，真是有些厚顏無恥。
When I"m going out in the evening I use the bike if I can rather than the car.
我晚上要外出的時候，我寧願騎腳踏車而不是開車。
The report"s focus is on how technology affects human life ratherthan business
這個報告關注的是技術如何影響人類生活而非商業活動。
You rather than I are going to go camping. 是你而不是我要去要野營。
John，rather than his roommates，is to blame.
要受責備的是約翰，而不是他的室友們。
注意：rather than 連線兩個名詞或代詞作主語時，謂語動詞應與rather than 前面的名詞或代詞在人稱和數上保持一致。
(2) 連線兩個形容詞、副詞
Much of the food pleases rather than excites
這些食物中許多隻是讓人滿意，但並不讓人興奮。
The sweater she bought was beautiful rather than cheap. 與其說她買的這件羊毛衫便宜不如說它漂亮。
The ship sank quickly rather than slowly.
船沉得很快，而不是很慢。
He usually gets up early rather than late.
他經常起得早，而不是起得晚。
(3) 連線兩個介詞(短語)或動詞的－ ing 形式、過去分詞
I’d prefer to read in the library rather than at home.
我寧願在圖書館看書，也不願在家裡看書。
I’d prefer to do it in this way rather than in that way.
我喜歡這樣做，而不願意那樣做。
He went to the park in the evening rather than in the morning.
他喜歡晚上去公園，而不喜歡早上去。
We will have the meeting in the classroom rather than in the great hall. 我們是在教室裡開會，不是在大廳裡。
She enjoys singing rather than dancing. 她喜歡唱歌，而不喜歡跳舞。
They use opium as a sedative, rather than as a narcotic.
他們把鴉片用作鎮靜劑而不是毒品。
She likes dancing rather than singing.
她喜歡跳舞，而不喜歡唱歌。
It is snowing rather than raining outside.
外面在下雪，而不是在下雨。
She is laughing rather than crying.
她是在笑，而不是在哭。
He had the house rebuilt rather than repaired.
他寧願重建房子，而不願修繕。
(4) 連線兩個分句
We should help him rather than he should help us. 是我們應該幫助他而不是他應該幫助我們。
Let"s get it over with as soon as possible, rather than drag it out.
我們儘快把它完成吧，不要再拖了。
We should help him rather than he should help us.
我們應該幫助他，而不是他應該幫助我們。
It was what he meant rather than what he said.
那是指他話中的意思，而不是他所說的話。
(5) 連線兩個不定式
I decided to write rather than (to) telephone. 我決定寫信而不打電話。
注意：rather than 後接不定式時，不定式可以帶to，也可以不帶to, 如上句。但rather than位於句首時，則只能接不帶to 的不定式。如：Rather than allow the vegetables to go bad, he sold them at half price. 他唯恐蔬菜爛掉，把它們以半價賣掉了。
(6) 連線兩個動詞
Rather than have the radio repaired，he’d like to buy a new one.
與其修理那部收音機，他想還不如買一部新的。
She left rather than stayed at home.
她不是呆在家裡，而是走了。
He ran rather than walked. 他是跑來的，而不是走來的。
注意：這裡rather than 後用了walked，而沒有用walk，表示客觀事實，而不是主觀願望。如果換成walk，則作“寧願……而不願 ……”解。
Rather than cause trouble，he went away.
他寧可走開而不願惹麻煩。
He committed suicide rather than face the shame of being linked to the scandal.
他選擇了自殺，不願面對牽扯進這樁醜聞所帶來的恥辱。
Do you work hard for success rather than daydream about it?
你是否付出艱苦努力以取得成功，而不是隻在那裡做白日夢？