Which choice is correct? Please explain your reasons.
“Rather than . . . the truth to them, Peter takes pleasure in deceiving the family and receiving credit.”
This is a great question, and it is one I don’t often see. On the other hand, it reflects a concept that confuses many people: parallelism.
Correct use of “rather than”
“Rather than” indicates a parallel structure in which two things are compared. To be grammatically correct, the two things being compared need to be equal, meaning they have the same grammatical structure or form.
Here are two simple examples to demonstrate the parallel structure created by “rather than.”
Example 1: “He enjoys driving rather than walking.” In this example, “driving” is being compared to “walking,” both of which are gerunds.
Example 2: “I would rather drive than walk.” Here, “drive” and “walk” are being compared. With the “rather than” expression divided, it is simple to see how “rather than” indicates a comparison.
Here is a slightly more advanced example that gets closer to your question. “Rather than repair the car, I prefer to buy a new one.” This sample compares “repair” to “to buy.” When using “rather than” to compare something with an infinitive, and when the “rather than” expression is in an introductory descriptive phrase, use the base infinitive without the “to.”
Now that we see how “rather than” creates a parallel structure, let’s look at your question. Continue reading