Choosing to walk is your own preference; asking someone to keep a receipt concerns their action. Would rather handles both, but the grammar changes when the person who acts is different from the person expressing the preference.
The idea
For your own action use would rather + base verb, or would rather not + base verb. Introduce an alternative with than. Ask Would you rather ...?. For another person's action use a subject and past form: I'd rather you kept or you didn't use.
Examples
- I'd rather walk than wait for another bus.
- She'd rather not discuss the budget now.
- Would you rather have a window seat or an aisle seat?
- We'd rather travel on Friday than on Saturday.
- I'd rather you kept the receipt.
- I'd rather you didn't use my camera.
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Watch out
Do not use to walk or walking directly after would rather. In I'd rather, 'd means would; in I'd better, it means had. Kept in the preference example refers to now or later, not necessarily the past. With a different subject, negate that subject's clause.
Try it yourself
Choose the correct option. I'd rather ___ than wait. (walk / to walk)
Show answer or example answer
walk
After would rather, the same person's action takes base-form walk, without to.
Choose the correct option. She'd rather ___ the budget now. (not discuss / not to discuss)
Show answer or example answer
not discuss
Put not before the base verb: would rather not discuss.
Choose the correct option. I'd rather you ___ the receipt. (kept / keeping)
Show answer or example answer
kept
With different subjects, I and you, use the past form kept for this present or future preference.
Practice round
Answer questions and rebuild English sentences to practise. Your score is shown.
Choose the correct option. I'd rather ___ than wait. (walk / to walk)
Choose the correct option. She'd rather ___ the budget now. (not discuss / not to discuss)
Choose the correct option. I'd rather you ___ the receipt. (kept / keeping)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Choose between walking and waiting, and between two travel days. Decline a topic with I'd rather not. Then express a preference about someone else's action using I'd rather you ..., without presenting it as a past event.