would rather be ..

i would rather be a child
would rather do sth 是固定搭配

would rather的用法
一、would rather意思是“宁愿、宁可、更、最好、还是为好”，后接动词原形,常省略为’d rather，表示优先选择的一种方式
其否定形式是would rather not do sth。would rather没有人称和数的变化，所有的人称一律用would rather。
“would rather+动词原形”是英语中常见的一个惯用句式，美国英语中多用had rather。would (had)在此决无“过去”之意，它是一个情态助动词，且无词性、时态变化。
例 Mr Li would rather not listen to rock music. 李先生不愿意听摇滚音乐。
If you’d rather be alone, we’ll all leave here. 如果你宁愿独自呆着，那我们都离开这儿。
He’d rather work in the countryside. 她宁可到农村去工作。
You would rather stay at home and do some reading this evening. 今晚你最好呆在家中读点书。
二、如果在两者中进行取舍，表示“宁愿……而不愿……，与其……宁可……”的意思时，则可用would rather…than…或would…rather than…的句型
例 I would rather watch TV at home than go to the cinema. 我宁可在家看电视而不愿去看电影。
The children would walk there rather than take a bus. 孩子们宁愿步行去那里而不愿乘公共汽车。
请注意 1） would rather…than…/would…rather than…也可以颠倒为：rather than…would…。Would(rather)和than后都接不带to的动词不定式，若选用的动词相同，那么than 后的动词可以省略。