1

In the sentence:

  • "Would you like some tea or would you like some coffee instead?"

What's my best option to rephrase this sentence so that it includes the word "rather" to imply the meaning of [instead]?

I was thinking of these examples:

  1. Would you rather like some tea or coffee?
  2. Would you like some tea or rather have coffee?
  3. Would you like some tea or would you rather prefer coffee?
  4. Would you like some tea rather than coffee?
  5. Would you like to rather have some tea or coffee?

1 Answer 1

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Would you rather like some tea or coffee?

Would you rather have tea or coffee?

Would you like some tea or rather have coffee?

Fine sentence.

Would you like some tea or would you rather prefer coffee?

Would you like some tea or would you rather prefer coffee?

Would you like some tea or would you rather have coffee?

Would you like some tea rather than coffee?

Fine sentence.

Would you like to rather have some tea or coffee?

Would you like to rather have some tea or coffee?

4
  • Good answer! 😊👌(why do comments have to be 15 characters long?)
    – Chris M
    Commented Mar 14, 2017 at 15:17
  • @ChrisM who the heck knows -- I do know they do not want "yes"/"thanks" or" I agree" answers -- it cuts down on 'fluff'. Thanks! ;)
    – WRX
    Commented Mar 14, 2017 at 15:32
  • 4
    @ChrisM: to stop people commenting "good answer"? Just +1 it. That's enough.
    – JavaLatte
    Commented Mar 14, 2017 at 16:06
  • Worth noting that, to my (British English) ear, "Would you like some tea or would you rather have coffee?" weakly implies that tea is the primary choice (ie someone with no preference would consider it more polite to say "tea" as the implication is that would be easier for the host), whereas "Would you like some tea rather than coffee?" more strongly implies that coffee is the primary choice (as in "everyone else is having coffee, but do you want some tea instead?" type connotations).
    – Muzer
    Commented Mar 14, 2017 at 18:31

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