rather與同義詞的區(qū)分

rather作為獨立的副詞使用，可表示“相當”的意思。其同義詞有：pretty, quite, fairly。它們表示“相當”的程度從強到弱依次為：rather, pretty, quite, fairly
1. 當rather修飾表示批評、失望、驚奇等帶有負面含義的形容詞和副詞時，該詞傳達說話人的一種否定、不贊成的態(tài)度，意為“頗為，在一定程度上”。例如：
This initially rather dull hobby had led him into fresh fields of enjoyment.
這個剛開始頗無趣的愛好帶他進入了一個全新的樂土。
2. 與fairly的區(qū)別
fairly也可表示“頗，在一定程度上”的意思，但通常置于一些帶有肯定、正面含義的形容詞和副詞之前。如果所修飾的形容詞或副詞為中性詞，那么用rather，就會傳達出說話人否定、不贊成的態(tài)度，用fairly則傳達說話人肯定的態(tài)度。
北京的夏天太熱了。
The summer in Beijing is rather hot.
(The speaker dislikes it.)
說話者不太喜歡
北京的夏天挺干燥的。
The summer in Beijing is fairly dry.
(The speaker likes it.)
說話者喜歡這種適宜的感覺
3. 與pretty, quite等的用法區(qū)別
修飾單數可數名詞時，fairly和pretty只能放在冠詞之后，而quite 和rather 可前可后。
這是一部好電影。
It is quite a good film.
=It is a quite good film.
It is rather a good film.
=It is a rather good film.
It is a fairly good film.
It is a pretty good film.

rather習慣用語及搭配形式

1. would rather 寧可，寧愿
(1) would rather后接動詞原形；表否定時，后接not +動詞原形：
I'll never be dependent on anyone again. I would rather starve (than be dependent on anyone else).
我再也不依靠任何人了。我寧愿餓死（也不靠別人）。
John really dislikes dancing. He would rather not go dancing with his wife.
約翰確實不喜歡跳舞。他寧可不和妻子一起去跳舞。
(2) would rather接that從句，從句用虛擬語氣，即用一般過去時表示現在或將來的動作或狀態(tài)，用過去完成時表示過去的動作或狀態(tài)。如:
I'd rather (that) you set out to do the task now.
我寧愿你現在就著手這項工作。
（與現在相反用過去時set）
I'd rather you picked her up at the airport tomorrow morning.
我寧愿你明早去機場接她。
（與將來相反與用過去時picked）
與過去相反
I'd rather you had not told her the news that day.
我寧愿你那天沒告訴她這個消息。
（與將來相反用過去完成時had done）
(3) 變體形式：would rather do ... than do ... 寧可……也不……
I would rather die than surrender to the enemy.
我寧可死也不會向敵人屈服。
2. rather than
(1) 接形容詞/名詞，表示“與其……，不如……”
This pair of shoes is comfortable rather than pretty.
這雙鞋與其說是漂亮，不如說是舒服。
John is a doctor rather than a teacher.
與其說約翰是個老師，不如說他是個醫(yī)生。
(2) 接名詞或代詞，可表示“而不是”的意思，相當于短語instead of或in place of：
I, rather than he, should be responsible for this failure.
該對這次失敗負責的是我，而不是他。
(3) 接動詞原形，表示“而不是”：
Rather than allow the vegetables to go bad, he sold them at half price.
他將蔬菜半價賣掉，而不是讓菜壞掉。
3. or rather 表示“更確切地說”，起進一步解釋說明的作用：
She worked as a secretary, or rather, a personal assistant.
她當了秘書，確切地講，是私人助理。
4. not ... but rather ... 表示“不是……，相反（而是）……”
Their problem is not a lack of funding, but rather a lack of planning.
他們的問題不是缺乏資金，而是缺乏規(guī)劃。
5. rather than 與prefer 連用
(1) prefer to do ... rather than do ... 表示“寧愿做……而不愿做……”：
They prefer to repeat their former experiences rather than take new risks.
他們寧可重復以前的經歷也不愿意進行新的冒險。
(2) prefer+名詞... rather than +名詞，替代prefer ... to的用法，如:
I should prefer wine rather than beer.
我寧愿喝紅酒而不愿喝啤酒。