rather than making

USAGE SUMMARY

"rather than making" is a valid and useful phrase in written English.
It is used to suggest an alternative to a previously mentioned course of action. For example: I decided to buy the item, rather than making it myself.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Rather than making colour, she makes a beautiful mess.

The Guardian - Arts

Rather than making students go over material they may already know, WGU is competency based.

Stanford University

Rather than making one offer at a time, consider presenting several offers at once.

Harvard University

They advocated liberating women from domesticity, rather than making it more palatable.

The New York Times - Arts

Rather than making up the poorest level of society, American Muslims were mostly middle class.

The New York Times

"It is about interest level rather than making sales," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

Nearly everywhere else, McDonald's buys ingredients, rather than making its own.

The New York Times

And at the same time the economics of Broadway encourage conventionality rather than making beautiful art".

The New York Times

The problem is that taking, rather than making wealth, appears to be growing in relative influence.

The New York Times

Rather than making cars, Saab's main activity seems to have been engineering financial lifelines.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Focus on changing your attitudes and expectations, rather than making your partner change.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "rather than making", ensure the alternatives you are presenting are clear and directly comparable for effective communication. Always consider the clarity of the contrast for your reader.

Common error

Avoid using "rather than making" when the alternative is not a genuine contrast or when it causes ambiguity. Ensure a clear and logical relationship between the elements being compared to avoid confusing the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rather than making" functions as a conjunctive phrase introducing an alternative or contrast. It connects two different actions or states, indicating a preference or substitution. This construction is commonly used to present choices or highlight different approaches, as demonstrated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "rather than making" serves as a versatile tool for expressing alternatives, contrasts, or preferences across numerous contexts. Ludwig highlights its grammatical correctness and common usage, particularly in news, academic, and scientific domains. While alternatives like "instead of making" exist, "rather than making" often implies a stronger sense of choice. It’s crucial to ensure clear and logical contrasts to prevent ambiguity. Considering its widespread use and clear communicative function, "rather than making" remains a valuable asset in effective writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

instead of making

Replaces "rather than" with "instead of", keeping the core meaning of substitution.

as opposed to making

Emphasizes a direct contrast, similar to "rather than".

in place of making

Suggests substitution or replacement, altering the focus slightly.

instead do make

Involves an alteration in sentence structure while maintaining the meaning of choosing an alternative.

in preference to making

Indicates a favored option, adding a layer of preference.

rather do make

Emphasizes the act of choosing an alternative and slightly altering sentence structure.

as an alternative to making

Highlights the alternative nature of the choice more explicitly.

contrary to making

Emphasizes opposition or contrast, slightly stronger than the original.

than do make

Involves a structural change emphasizing the verb, reducing direct equivalence.

more than making

Implies prioritization, differing slightly from simple substitution.

FAQs

How can I use "rather than making" in a sentence?

Use "rather than making" to introduce an alternative action or choice in contrast to another. For example, "I chose to buy the book, "rather than making" a copy".

What's a simple way to rephrase "rather than making"?

A simple rephrase is to use "instead of making". For example, "Instead of making excuses, take responsibility for your actions".

Is there a difference between "rather than making" and "instead of making"?

While similar, "rather than making" can sometimes imply a stronger sense of preference or choice compared to "instead of making", which is generally a neutral substitution.

What are some alternatives to "rather than making" for formal writing?

In formal contexts, consider alternatives like "as opposed to making" or "in preference to making" to maintain a sophisticated tone.