Rather is used to express preference (would rather), to indicate a moderate or notable degree (rather difficult), to mean "instead" or "more precisely" (or rather), or to introduce a correction or contrast. It is especially common in British English.
What Does Rather Mean?
Rather comes from Old English hrathor, the comparative of hrathe meaning "quickly" or "soon". In Old English it meant "sooner" in a temporal sense, which is why the preference meaning ("I would sooner do X") is still its core. Over time the word expanded into a general degree adverb and a conjunction-like connector used to refine or correct.
In modern British English, rather performs four main functions. First, as a degree adverb it softens or moderates an adjective or adverb: rather cold, rather well. Second, in the phrase would rather it signals preference: I’d rather walk than drive. Third, as a connector (or rather, rather than) it introduces a more precise or contrasting alternative. Fourth, in informal British English it can be used as a one-word enthusiastic agreement: "Shall we get coffee?" — "Rather!" (old-fashioned but still recognised).
Learners often confuse rather with quite and fairly. In British English, rather can imply a slightly surprising or notable degree — more emphatic than fairly and more critical in tone than quite. Saying something is rather expensive carries a mild negative nuance, whereas quite good is simply neutral praise.
Five Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| I would rather have tea than coffee, please. | A2 — would rather + bare infinitive (preference) |
| The film was rather long, but I enjoyed it in the end. | B1 — degree adverb before adjective |
| She decided to cycle to work rather than take the train. | B1 — rather than + bare infinitive (contrast) |
| The passage was rather complex, but she understood the main argument. | B2 — degree adverb implying mild critical nuance |
| The report reflects a shift in policy, or rather a fundamental rethinking of priorities. | C1 — or rather as a corrective connector in formal writing |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| would rather | I would rather stay in tonight. |
| rather than | Use a pen rather than a pencil for the exam. |
| or rather | He arrived on time, or rather a few minutes early. |
| rather too | The explanation was rather too brief to be helpful. |
| rather a lot | She travels rather a lot for work. |
| rather well | He plays the guitar rather well for a beginner. |
| rather more / less | The task took rather more time than expected. |
| rather like | The flavour is rather like a mild cheddar. |
| rather difficult / complex | The question was rather difficult to answer clearly. |
| rather good | That was a rather good idea, actually. |
Usage Notes
Key Points for Learners
Degree adverb: Rather is stronger than fairly and often implies mild surprise or a critical note. Fairly cold is neutral; rather cold hints that the coldness is somewhat unexpected or worth noting.
Would rather + bare infinitive: Never use to after would rather. Say I’d rather go (not I’d rather to go). When the preference involves a different subject, use a past-tense clause: I’d rather you came tomorrow.
Rather than: Can be followed by a bare infinitive, a noun, or a gerund, depending on the structure of the sentence. Both rather than walk and rather than walking are acceptable, though the bare infinitive is preferred in formal English.
British vs American English: As a degree adverb, rather is considerably more common in British English. American speakers tend to prefer pretty or fairly in similar contexts.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I would rather to stay at home tonight.
I would rather stay at home tonight. (would rather + bare infinitive — no 'to')
She would rather that he will call tomorrow.
She would rather that he called tomorrow. (use past tense after 'would rather that')
He chose to email instead rather than to reply in person.
He chose to email rather than reply in person. (bare infinitive after 'rather than' in parallel structure)
Etymology
Old English hrathor (comparative of hrathe, “soon, quickly”) → Middle English rather (sooner, more willingly) → Modern English rather (preference, degree, correction). The temporal sense ("sooner") is now mostly lost in everyday speech, but it survives clearly in the phrase would rather, which originally meant "would sooner".