1 Diễn tả sự việc ở hiện tại (present subjunctive):
Mẫu câu: S1 + would rather that + S2 + [verb in simple form] …
Ví dụ:
– I would rather that you call me tomorrow.
– He would rather that I don’t take this train.
2 Diển tả sự việc đối lập với thực tế ở hiện tại
Động từ sau chủ ngữ hai sẽ chia ở simple past, to be phải chia là were ở tất cả các ngôi.
S1 + would rather that + S2 + [verb in simple past tense] …
Ví dụ:
– Henry would rather that his girlfriend worked in the same department as he does.
(His girlfriend does not work in the same department)
– Jane would rather that it were winter now. (Infact, it is not winter now)
Nếu muốn thành lập thể phủ định dùng didn’t + verb hoặc were not sau chủ ngữ hai.
– Henry would rather that his girlfriend didn’t work in the same department as he does.
– Jane would rather that it were not winter now.
3. Diễn tả sự việc trái ngược với thực tế ở quá khứ
S1 + would rather that + S2 + past perfect …
Ví dụ:
– Bob would rather that Jill had gone to class yesterday.
(Jill did not go to class yesterday)
– Bill would rather that his wife hadn’t divorced him.
Chú ý: Ngữ pháp hiện đại cho phép lược bỏ that trong một số câu giả định dùng would rather