38 Conditional with I´d Rather

A Conditional Sentence is usually composed by two parts: the “if-clause” (or conditional clause) that expresses the condition, and the Main Clause that expresses the consequence of that condition. We have different structures for conditionals. {see Zero Conditional, First Conditional A2 level/Second Conditional, Third Conditional B1 Level}

Sometimes we talk about things that we want other people to do instead of us. That is why we use “I’d rather“.

Would rather is used with past tense. The verbs are in the past while the actions are in the present. The structure is:
Subject + ‘d rather + complement.

• I‘d rather you punched that guy in the face.
• He‘d rather I was more responsible.
• She’d rather they treated a patient.

Stressing I’d rather in sentences is important. We use this structure when we want someone else to do something for us or instead of us. We can also use this structure to talk about our preferences.