向曹老师请教！！

这几天我一直在研究than的用法；在我看过的所有有关介词宾语的语法资料，也包括您在本网站的解答，都说介词后面不能接to do不定式作介词宾语；您也告诉过我rather than接to do作宾语当作习语记住就好；这几天通过阅读了不少than的资料和例句，似乎发现了一些规律；举几个典型例子说明：

（1）I was thinking about all sorts of mechanical ways of how we can live more in tune with the environment rather than to exploit it

（2）She'll know better than to trust them again.

规律一：

（1）句和（2）句rather than的用法；我感觉之所以把后面跟to do不定式的rather than仍然归为复合介词；是为了利用介词短语作名词定语的功能；具体分析就是（1）句后面的than从句实际上为than (I was thinking about ways) to exploit it.  To exploit it 作way的定语；（2）句better可以作形容词或代词；如果better为形容词，那么主句省略了thing;那么rather than这个介宾短语作的是thing的定语；如果better为代词；介宾短语作的是better的定语；本质上是than （she will know better) to trust them again.  总而言之“把rather than+to do 归为介宾。就是发挥它的定语功能”

（3）He stayed at home rather than go out.

（4）Rather than go straight on to university why not get some work experience first?

（5）Rather than criticizing your husband, why not find out if there’s something wrong?

规律二：

（2）句、（4）句和（5）句rather than的用法；看过曹老师解答说“rather than后接不定式，表示还没有发生的、潜在的可能性。rather than后接动名词，通常表示实际正在发生或已经发生过的事情。”据此我推测，rather than后面接省略to的不定式，本质上就是某个情态动词后面接不带to的不定式，因为我看过曹老师的一个解答“He would more readily pay the fine than (to) appeal to a higher court.=He would more readily pay the fine than (he would) appeal to a higher court.”

在此恳请曹老师批评指正！！