ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rather than

fixed phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. you use this to show that you prefer one thing over another, or to say what did not happen.

fixed phr.. a multi-word preposition or conjunction used to express preference or to contrast a chosen action or thing with an rejected alternative.


SIMPLE

I think I'll have tea rather than coffee today.

CONTEXTUAL

The company decided to invest in new technology rather than hiring more staff this year.

COMPLEX

The report focuses on the long-term structural causes of the crisis rather than the immediate political fallout that followed.

Usage

can be followed by a noun, an adjective, or a verb (often in the -ing form).

Teaching tip

point out that when 'rather than' starts a sentence or follows a main verb, the following verb is usually a gerund or a bare infinitive, which can be tricky for learners.

Pitfall

I prefer walk rather than drive.I prefer walking rather than driving.the words being compared must have the same grammatical form (parallel structure).

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