在必修三第5单元中，有这样一个句子：Rather than take the airplane all the way, they decided to fly to Vancouver and then take the train west to east across Canada.他们不想一路乘飞机，而决定先飞到温哥华，再从西海岸乘火车横穿加拿大到达东海岸。在必修六第4单元也出现了类似的一个句子：It is human activity that has caused this global warming rather than a random but natural phenomenon. 这两句话里面都含有rather than这个短语，说明这是一个比较常用的固定词组。
rather than是一个常用的固定短语，表示“取舍关系”，rather than之后的部分为“舍”。 rather than的意思有两个：①“而不是”；②“宁可不”。在本句中rather than的用法属于后者“宁可不”。那么，rather than 之后可以跟什么成分呢？
当rather than表示“而不是”的意思时，它后面可以跟名词、代词、形容词、副词、介词短语、不定式、现在分词、过去分词、甚至从句，但这些必须和前面的成分是并列同等的。例如：
I like football rather than basketball. （名词）
我喜欢足球而不是篮球。
You should go there rather than I.（代词）
These shoes are comfortable rather than good-looking.（形容词）
He writes fast rather than carefully.（副词）
She did it by herself rather than with the help of others.（介词短语）
She was smiling rather than laughing.（现在分词）
He was rewarded rather than punished.（过去分词）
We should try to reform criminals rather than (to) punish them.我们应该尽力改造罪犯，而不是惩罚他们。（不定式）
I come here to help you rather than to harm you.我到这里是来帮助你的，不是来伤害你的。（不定式）
I reasoned rather than quarreled with him. 我理论，而不是和他吵架。（并列过去式）
I should thank you rather than that you thank me.我应当谢你而不是你谢我。（句子）
I would go to see my uncle right now rather than when I have time some day.（从句）
上述例句中，rather than之后实际上是省略了与前面相对应的成分。
当rather than表示“宁可不”的意思时，其后的动词一律用原形，不管前面的谓语是什么时态。例如：
We insisted on starting the work at once rather than leave it for the next day.
He sold the vegetables at half price rather than allow them to go bad.
The hero would die rather than give in.
I prefer to walk there rather than take a bus.
Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.
It is better to express your anger, rather than bottle it up.生气宁可发泄出来而不要闷在肚内。
I prefer to walk there rather than take a bus.与其坐公共汽车去，还不如走路去。
此外，rather than经常和would和had 连用，构成would rather … than (宁愿…而不) 和 had rather … than (宁愿…而不)句型。例如:
The hero would rather die than give in.
I had rather wait here than go away.
附：rather than用法经典例句
These are political matters rather than social matters.这是政治问题，而不是社会问题。
It is a telex rather than a letter.与其说它是一封信，不如说它是一封电传。
She is pretty rather than attractive.她是漂亮，而不吸引人。
He decided to go to Paris rather than London.他决定去巴黎，不去伦敦。
He runs after fame rather than wealth.他追求名而不追求利。
Rather than travel by car, I'd prefer to walk.与其乘汽车旅行，我宁可走路。
She was guided by feeling rather than thought.她被感情而非理智所支配。
I think I'll have a cold drink rather than coffee.我想喝冷饮，不想喝咖啡。
She is a career woman rather than a housewife.她是职业妇女而不是家庭主妇。
I like walking on grass rather than paths, it's so much softer.我宁愿在草地上面走而不愿走小路，草地柔软多了。
He always give priority to others rather than to himself.他总是优先考虑别人而不是自己本身。
The policy will promote rather than hinder reform.这项政策将促进而不是妨碍改革。
Rather than risk a bad crossing, he postponed his journey.他推迟了旅行的时间，不愿冒着风浪横渡。
I prefer to snack when I'm travelling rather than have a full meal.我旅行时喜欢吃小吃而不吃正餐。
She chose the red sweater rather than the pink one.她选中那件红毛衣而不要那件粉红的。
The speaker appealed to our emotions rather than to our minds.演讲者激发了我们的情感而不是启发我们的思考。
He writes all his books for the crowd rather than for specialists.他的全部作品都是为一般大众所写，而不是为了专家们。
Many products are made by machinery rather than by hand.许多产品是机器造的而不是手工做的。
He would suffer death rather than betray the secret.他宁死也不肯泄露机密。
Nowadays people travel in cars rather than carriages.现今人们旅行都坐汽车，而不使用马车。
He should have given priority to his safety rather than to the loss of money.他本来应该优先考虑他的安全，而不是金钱的损失。
I tried to stand on my own two feet rather than turned to my parents.我设法自立而不求助于我的父母。
He is a writer rather than a scholar.与其说他是学者，不如说他是作家。
We convinced Anne to go by train rather than plane.我们说服了安妮放弃乘飞机而坐火车走。
Rather than risk breaking up his marriage he told his wife everything.他惟恐婚姻破裂，把一切都告诉了妻子。
I prefer to die rather than to become a traitor.我宁死不做卖国贼。
He prefers to be a surgeon rather than a physician.他喜欢当外科医生而不愿作内科医生。
I, rather than you, should do the work.该做这工作的是我，而不是你。
We shall help them rather than they shall help us.我们应当帮助他们，而不是他们应当帮助我们。
He preferred to fly rather than travel by train.他宁愿做飞机而不愿做火车。
I prefer to be called a fool rather than fight.我宁可被叫作傻瓜也不要打架。
I prefer traveling by day rather than by night.我喜欢白天旅行，不喜欢夜间旅行。
I should take my rest now rather than later.我现在就要休息，而不是以后。
I would work harder rather than refuse to help you.我宁工作辛苦些也不拒绝帮助你们。
It was what he meant rather than what he said.这就是他的话的真实意思。
You should thank him rather than me.你应感谢的是他而不是我。
It was a hope rather than an expectation.此仅为希望多于预期而已。
I would like soda rather than cola.我喜欢喝苏打水，而不是可乐。
They aim at quality rather than quantity.他们的目的在于提高质量而不是增加数量。
I prefer to use oil paints rather than watercolors.我比较喜欢用油画法而不是水彩画法。
I prefer to see animals in their natural habitat, rather than in zoos.我宁愿观赏居住在自然栖息地里的动物，而不愿看关在动物园里的动物。
He lay rather than sat in his armchair.他躺在扶手椅里而不是坐在里面。
I'll go to meet him rather than wait for him.我要去找他而不是等他来。
That's why you asked me rather than anyone else.这就是你为什么来请教我而没有请教其他任何人的原因吧。
It is my business rather than yours.这是我的事，与你无关。
Rather than travel by car, I'd prefer to walk.与其乘汽车旅行，我宁可走路。
The present market is worse rather than better.目前的市场不见好转，反而进一步恶化了。
Some men on their own will live out of tins rather than cook meals for themselves.一些独居的男人宁肯靠罐头食品过日子，也不愿自己烧饭吃。
What made you choose the one rather than the other?你怎么选了这个而不是那个?
She prefers to act rather than direct.她宁愿当演员，不愿当导演。
I would resign rather than defend it again.我宁肯辞职不干，也不愿再为它辩护了。
I would resign rather than accept him as a partner.我宁可辞职也不愿接受他为合伙人。
I'd prefer to go in summer rather than in winter.我宁愿夏天去,而不愿冬天去。
I'd ride a bicycle rather than take a bus.我愿意骑自行车而不愿意坐公共汽车。
The darkness increased rather than diminished.黑暗不仅没有消散,反而格外浓重了。
They obeyed him out of fear rather than respect.他们听从他的命令是出于害怕而并非尊敬。
They prefer to go with us rather than stay at home.他们宁可和我们一起去也不愿意待在家里。
We should check up rather than accept what he says.与其听他说的,不如我们核实一下。
He insisted on staying rather than go.他坚持要留下来,而不愿意去。
He is a writer rather than a teacher.与其说他是教师,不如说他是作家。
I choose to stay at home rather than go fishing.我情愿呆在家而不出去钓鱼。
He is to be pitied rather than to be disliked.他应该得到怜悯而不是厌恶。
I have a preference for coffee rather than tea.我爱喝咖啡,不愿喝茶。
You rather than I are going to go camping.是你而不是我要去要野营。
He was a child rather than an adult.与其说他是个成人,不如说他是个孩子。
Rather than see the film, I prefer to watch TV.我宁愿看电视也不看电影。
He would die rather than give up smoking.他宁死也不愿戒烟。
He would listen to others rather than talk himself.他宁愿听别人谈而不愿自己说。
I prefer to read rather than watch television.我宁愿看书,也不愿意看电视。
She looks like her father rather than her mother.她看起来更像她父亲,而不是她母亲。
It was a statement rather than a question.她的话听上去更像是表述而不是提问。
These shoes are comfortable rather than pretty.这双鞋不好看，但是舒服。
