1. rather than 表示“而不是”的意思时，它的主要用法是连词。后面接名词、代词、形容词、副词、介词短语、谓语动词、不定式、现在分词、过去分词、甚至从句，但这些必须和前面的成分是并列的、对等的。

例如：

I like football rather than basketball. (名词)

You should go there rather than I.（代词）

These shoes are comfortable rather than good-looking.（形容词）

He writes fast rather than carefully.（副词）

She did it by herself rather than with the help of others.（介词短语）

I reasoned rather than quarreled with him. （谓语动词）

Tom wanted to go out rather than to stay at home. （不定式）

She was smiling rather than laughing.（现在分词）

He was rewarded rather than punished.（过去分词）

I would go to see my uncle right now rather than when I have time some day.（从句）

▲ 上述例句中，rather than 之后实际上是省略了与前面相对应的成分。

2. rather than 表示“而不是”的意思时，偶尔还可以用作介词，后跟动名词。

例如：

They have an incentive to use their innovations to improve their own services, rather than renting or selling them to rivals.

他们意欲利用创新来改进自己的服务，而不是把它们出租或卖给竞争对手。

（网友的句子，rather than 就是介词用法）

Circumstances dictated that they played a defensive rather than attacking game.

比赛形势决定了他们要打防守战而不是进攻战。

来自柯林斯例句

I'd like to go home rather than doing nothing else here.

与其这里没有别的事要做，我还不如早点回家。

    rather than 有多种意思和用法：

    1. 与 would 或 had 连用，表示主观上的愿望，两种选择中偏爱其中一种，意思是“宁愿......而不愿”,后面接不带 to 的动词不定式。例如： I would rather try and fail than give up the plan.我宁愿尝试而失败，也不愿意放弃这一计划。 / He had rather go than stay to be interviewed.他宁愿离开这里，也不愿意留下来接受采访。 / He would rather give up his house than his car.他宁愿放弃房屋，也不愿意放弃汽车。

    2. rather than 表示客观事实时，意思是“是......而不是......”、“与其说是......不如说是......”。 rather than 表示此含义时，通常连用，有时也分开使用。该短语除后接不定式表示主观愿望外，大多数情况都用于表示强调客观上的差异。例如：It was a careless action rather than a calculated one.这是一次轻率的而不是有计划的行动。 / He is a writer rather rhan a poet.与其说他是一位诗人，不如说他是一位作家。/ This is rather for father to decide than for you.这应该由父亲来决定，而不是由你来决定。

    3. rather than 可以用在"prefer + 不定式"后面，再接不带 to 的不定式。例如：I prefer to work rather than remain idle.我宁愿工作，而不愿意闲着。

    注：(1) 有时候也可见到 prefer ... rather than 后接带 to 的不定式。例如： He preferred to live with a native woman rather than to work for a living. 他宁愿和一个本地妇女生活在一起，也不愿意靠做工来谋生。

    (2) 间或还见到 prefer ... rather than 后接 v-ing 形式的情况。例如：I always prefer starting early,rather than leaving everything to the last minute.我总是宁愿趁早动手，也不愿意把事情推迟到最后时刻。

    4. rather than 是连词，前后所连接成分应该一致。但要注意，如果 rather than （连用）出现在句中时，后接不定式，这个不定式可以带 to ，也可以不带 to。这时，rather than 表示主观上的选择。例如：He resigned rather than stifle his conscience.他宁愿辞职，也不愿违背自己的良心。/ I decided to write rather than to telephone.我决定写信，也不愿打电话。

    但如果 rather than 位于句首时，只能接不带 to 的不定式。例如：Rather than run the risk of losing everything they accept his term. 他们宁可接受他的条件，也不愿冒失去一切的风险。

    注：rather than 后面也可以接与谓语动词时态一致的动词形式（多为过去时）。例如：He ran rather than walked.他是跑来的而不是走来的。/ He stayed rather than went.他留下来而没有走。

    这里 rather than 之后分别用 walked 和 went，而不用 walk 和 go，表示的是客观事实，而不是主观愿望。如果换为 walk 和 go，则作“宁愿......不愿”解了。

（以上均摘自《薄冰英语惯用法词典》）