I'd rather...

[pomponick]

Could anyone tell me if the following sentence is correct?

'I'd rather I hadn't eaten so much at dinner - now I can't sleep.'

I thought it wasn't but the 'wise' book I've bought says it's perfectly
alright.

Thanks for all comments.

[marcinsolski]

Sounds funny. I'd say" I wish I hadn't eaten...

[pomponick]

marcinsolski napisał:

> Sounds funny. I'd say" I wish I hadn't eaten...

So would I... Thanks but now the issue is how to deal with this 'I'd
rather ...' The only way that seems possible to me (though very rarely used)
is: 'I'd rather not have eaten...' . What do you say to that?

[margie5]

I would say that a version with "not have eaten" sounds correct:)

[easystreet]

I'd rather not have eaten sounds formal and pretentious.
ma racje autor piszac I wish I hadn't eaten.
I'd rather do or not do something go/not go etc. sounds better to express
preference, but then maybe in Brit.Eng. the haughtier, the better?

[kylie1]

I think it is quite possible to use Past Perfect tense after "would rather/had
rather"(talking about past actions) but it sure isn't very common in AmE. I
would definitely use "I wish I hadn't..." instead.

:)

[kwiatek_leona]

I think MarcinSolski has it right by classic British standards. I would not,
however, hesitate to say "I wish I didn't eat so much" in colloquial American-
English.

[praenomen]

Mind the preposition, I think there should be "for dinner", you couldn't have been identifying with a dog who gets leftovers at the table :)Bon Appetit!

You can stand (waiter) at the table, you can sit at table, but you eat sth. for dinner - at the table, if of course you insist on this "table"; for dinner, I believe so, let me know if I'm wrong.

[pomponick]

thanks praenomen but I'm not sure you're right. It's true we say 'I had
schabowy FOR dinner' but then in that sentence saying 'AT dinner' had a
different meaning. I suppose it's correct just like you say 'I watched TV at
breakfast'. I do realise that both eating schabowy and watching TV while eating
might be wrong... as far sa good manners go... NOW, I wish somebody would tell
me what to think of the sentence in question... And please, don't give me a
definite maybe;))

[mike-great]

Isn't it better to say : "I was watching TV during my breakfast" ?

pomponick napisała:

> thanks praenomen but I'm not sure you're right. It's true we say 'I had
> schabowy FOR dinner' but then in that sentence saying 'AT dinner' had a
> different meaning. I suppose it's correct just like you say 'I watched TV at
> breakfast'. I do realise that both eating schabowy and watching TV while
eating
>
> might be wrong... as far sa good manners go... NOW, I wish somebody would
tell
> me what to think of the sentence in question... And please, don't give me a
> definite maybe;))