How can the sentence "I went to the restaurant, but I should have stayed home" be rewritten using "instead of"?

The sentence "I went to the restaurant, but I should have stayed home" suggests a contrast between the action taken (going to the restaurant) and the action that would have been preferable (staying home). The choice that captures this contrast effectively is the one that uses "instead of" to indicate what could have been done differently.

The correct answer rephrases the original sentence to state that the action of staying home would have been a better choice compared to going to the restaurant. By saying, "Instead of going to the restaurant, I should have stayed home," it clearly conveys that going to the restaurant was not the optimal decision, aligning directly with the sentiment of the original sentence.

This structure not only maintains the original meaning but also makes it explicit that the speaker regrets the choice they made. It emphasizes the alternative action that is viewed as preferable.