Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank:
I'd like to play inside ________ go out with my friends.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → rather than
Complete sentence: I'd like to play inside rather than go out with my friends. After "would like to play", the second choice is also a base verb: play inside rather than go out.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) rather | Rather alone cannot join two choices. It needs than. On its own it means "quite", or it is used in would rather. | I would rather stay at home tonight. |
| (2) rather than (answer) | Rather than joins two choices and shows that the first is preferred to the second: do X rather than (do) Y. | She chose to walk rather than wait for the bus. |
| (3) and rather | "And rather" does not express a preference between two actions. The comparison needs "than". | – |
| (4) rather then | Then means "after that" or "at that time". The word that compares two choices is than. The two words sound alike but are different words. | We had dinner and then went for a walk. |