rather

Question 1

Rather + verb

I was rather hoping you’d forgotten about that.

Answer 1

We can use rather to //emphasise// verbs. We use it most commonly with verbs such as enjoy, hope, like:

We can use rather to emphasise verbs. We use it most commonly with verbs such as enjoy, hope, like:

i would rather go

Question 2

Rather a lot

It cost me rather a lot of money.

Answer 2

We often use rather with a lot to ///refer to large amounts/// and quantities:

It cost me rather a lot of money.

You’ve given me rather a lot.

We also use rather a lot to mean ‘often’:

They went there rather a lot.

You’ll be seeing rather a lot of me over the next few weeks.

Question 3

Rather a + noun

It was rather a surprise to find them in the house before me.

Answer 3

Rather a with a noun is more common in formal language than in informal language, particularly in writing:

It was rather a surprise to find them in the house before me.

Question 4

Rather as a degree adverb

Answer 4

We use rather to give //emphasis///to an adjective or adverb. It has a similar meaning to quite when quite is used with gradable words. It is more formal than quite. We often use it to express something unexpected or surprising:

A:
You’re not just wasting your time here, are you?

B:
No, I’m rather busy, in fact.

They walked rather slowly.

I’m afraid I behaved rather badly.

Question 5

Rather: comparison

Now that she saw Rupert again, he was rather less interesting and a little older than she had remembered him.

Answer 5

We use rather with more and less + an adjective or adverb in formal writing to make a ///comparison/// with something:

Quite probably you simply didn’t realise that peas and beans and sweet-corn are such valuable vegetables, and you will now continue to eat them rather more frequently because you like them anyway.

Now that she saw Rupert again, he was rather less interesting and a little older than she had remembered him.

Question 6

Rather like

They were small animals, rather like rats.

Answer 6

We use rather with like to refer to ///similarities///. We use rather like to mean ‘quite similar to’:
!mesle
They were small animals, rather like rats.

I was in the middle. I felt rather like a referee at a football match trying to be fair and keep the sides apart.

Question 7

Rather than: alternatives and preferences

Can we come over on Saturday rather than Friday?

Answer 7

We use rather than to give more importance to one thing when two alternatives or preferences are being compared:
!be jaye
He wanted to be an actor rather than a comedian.

Can we come over on Saturday rather than Friday?

Rather than usually occurs between two things which are being compared. However, we can also use it at the beginning of a sentence. When we use rather than with a verb, we use the base form or (less commonly) the -ing form of a verb:

Rather than pay the taxi fare, he walked home. (or Rather than paying the taxi fare, he walked home.)

Not: Rather than to pay …

Question 8

Or rather

Answer 8

We use or rather to correct ourselves:
!darvaghe

He commanded and I obeyed, or rather, I pretended to.

Thanks to his efforts, or rather the efforts of his employees, they made a decent profit.