有同学问到了一个问题：rather than位于句首时，后面应该说do something还是doing something?
正确答案是两个都可以用，为什么会出现这种情况呢？这是因为rather than既可以作为连词理解，也可以当成介词理解。
（1）当rather than作为连词理解时，根据英语“平行结构”的要求，此时rather than前后的单词要保持词性和结构的一致，比如：For exercise, I walk rather than run. 此时rather than前后的单词walk以及run词性保持一致。
又比如BBC在评价最近的查尔斯三世（King Charles III）演讲时有这样的句子：
Another clear message being sent was that Charles was here for the long haul, the throne would be a lifelong commitment for him, for all “the remaining time God grants me”. But it was an important, tone-setting speech that was absent of any pomposity, promising to serve rather than to rule.
…promising to serve rather than to rule，这里rather than前后也保持了一致。
在非正式场合中，rather than后面的to也可以省略，比如：He decided to call rather than text.
当rather than作为连词且位于句首时，后面的动词要用原形，比如《韦氏高阶英语词典》有这样的句子：Rather than continue the argument, she walked away.
可以看到，虽然句子是过去时态，但是rather than后面仍然用动词原形。又比如《柯林斯词典》的例句：Rather than break her appointment and disappoint me, Katie again took the car.
（2）当rather than作为介词理解时，此时它相当于instead of，后面的动词要用现在分词形式，比如上面的韦氏词典同样有一条例句：Rather than using dried herbs, he picked fresh ones from the garden.
此时rather than理解为介词，句子相当于：Instead of using dried herbs, he picked fresh ones from the garden.
虽然我们可以说rather than do/doing something，但目前rather than doing something更加常见一点。在Google Ngram Viewer上面比较”rather than make”以及”rather than making”的使用频率，可以发现，从上世纪60年代以后，rather than making的使用频率明显超过另一种：
比较”rather than do”以及”rather than doing”，也可以看到类似的结果：
另一个容易被用错的短语是as well as，它后面必须用现在分词形式，即as well as doing something，比如：
(1)She negotiates the licences as well as ordering the equipment.
(2)Each week he wrote her three letters, as well as telephoning her.
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