grammar · neutral

would rather + have + past participle

Band 6-7speakingtask2

Expresses a past preference or regret — that you wish something had happened differently.

Examples

“I would rather have taken the earlier train.”

“She would rather have told him the truth.”

“We would rather have avoided that mistake.”

Band 8 sentence

“Given how things turned out, I would rather have declined the invitation than attend under false pretences.”

Collocations

  • would rather + have + past participle + (than ...)

Common mistakes

I would rather have went to the concert.→I would rather have gone to the concert.

I would rather have go earlier.→I would rather have gone earlier.

Say it for a higher band

5I regret + V-ing→6I wish + past perfect→7+would rather + have + past participle

Synonyms

wish + past perfect

Easily confused

wish + past perfect

“I wish I had studied harder for the exam.”

Related words

have / has + past participlesubject + V(s) (simple present)be about to + base verbbe + V-ingso + adjective/adverb + that + clauseIf + present perfect, will + base verbNot only + clause, but also + clausewill have been + V-ing

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In Tenses

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