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I want to express this idea but have never gotten to a point where I feel it's natural.

It would be better for us if I took it instead of him

It would be better for us if I took it than him taking it

It would be better for us if I took it than he took it?

Any suggestion? THank you

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  • Is 'us' a group or just you and him? Could you just use "It would be better for us if I took it" without mentioning him?
    – KillingTime
    Commented Apr 1, 2020 at 9:38
  • 'us' is my group in this context. Yea, I could technically stop there but I want to make the point that if I had done it instead of him, the outcome would have been much better.
    – Aizen
    Commented Apr 1, 2020 at 9:49

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It seems to me none of your choices are quite satisfactory, although the first isn't so bad. I'd rather say it this way.

  • It would be better for us if I were the one taking it, [rather than/instead of] him (doing that/it).

or maybe

  • It would be better for us if I took it, rather than him (doing that/it).
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  • What's the difference between your second sentence and my first sentence? Just the choice between "rather than" vs "instead of"?
    – Aizen
    Commented Apr 1, 2020 at 9:47
  • @Aizen The use of the "took it" instead of "were the one taking it". I feel that then there is not as much a need to insist on a choice (but I might not be so well justified in feeling that way).
    – LPH
    Commented Apr 1, 2020 at 9:52
  • I see, thanks LPH! Your first sentence feel more natural than any one in my list.
    – Aizen
    Commented Apr 1, 2020 at 9:54
  • @Aizen ... "It would be better for us if I took it instead of X" doesn't sound so bad where X is a (probably proper) noun, unmarked for case, but 'him' doesn't parallel 'I' and sounds rather jarring (though is doubtless acceptable in informal registers). "It would be better for us if I took it than if he took it" is absolutely grammatical, but sounds starchy. LPH's suggestions are good.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Apr 1, 2020 at 10:38

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