Expressing preference

Expressing preferences

By Misael Villalba

General preferences

Your likes

​General Preferences

We use general preferences to talk about something you like more as a whole.

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Not something you like more at an specific time but a fact about your likes.​

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We use ​"prefer" and "like ... better" to talk about general preferences​

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Prefer in questions

We use "Do/es you/he/she/they prefer" in questions to ask about someone else's preferences.

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Examples: Do you prefer coffee or tea?​ => Do you prefer going to the beach or to the mountains?

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We use -ing in the verb after prefer and we use "or"​ to present the choices.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Prefer in answers/sentences

We use "I/he/she/they/we prefer/s" in answers to talk about our or someone else's preferences.

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Examples: I prefer coffee to tea => I prefer going to the beach over going to the mountains

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We use -ing in the verb after prefer and we use "to" or "over"​ to differentiate between preferences.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Like ... better in questions

We use "Do/es you/he/she/they like ... better" to ask about someone else's preferences.

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Examples:​ Do you like coffee or tea better? => Do you like living in the city or the suburbs better?

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​We add -ing to the verb after like, we use "or" present choices and the word "better" comes at the end of the question.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Like ... better than in answers/sentences

We use "I/he/she/they/we like ... better than" to talk about our or someone else's preferences.

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Examples:​ I like coffee better than tea => I like living in the city better than in the suburbs

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​We add -ing to the verb after like and we place better than after saying our preference.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Specific preferences

​Preferences at an specific moment

Specific preferences

We use specific preferences to talk about something you like or want more at a given moment or point in time, either now or in the future.

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Not your likes but what you prefer at a certain moment or context.

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We use ​"would rather" and "would prefer" to talk about specific preferences.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Would rather in questions

We use ​"Would you/he/she rather" to ask about someone else's preferences.

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Examples: ​Would you rather have coffee or tea? => Would you rather go out or stay home?

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​We don't change the verb after rather and we use "or" to present the choices.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Would rather in answers/sentences

We use ​"I/he/she/they/we would/'d rather ... than" to talk about our or someone else's preferences.

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Examples: I ​would rather have coffee than tea? => I'd rather go out than stay home

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​We don't change the verb after rather and we use "than" after saying our preference. We can use the contracted version of would => 'd.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Would prefer in questions

We use ​"Would you/he/she prefer to" to ask about someone else's preferences.

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Examples: ​Would you prefer to have coffee or tea? => Would you prefer to go out or stay home?

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​We don't change the verb after prefer to and we use "or" to present the choices.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Would prefer in answers/sentences

We use ​"I/he/she/they/we would/'d prefer to ... than" to talk about our or someone else's preferences.

​

Examples: I ​would prefer to have coffee than tea? => I'd prefer to go out than stay home.

​

​We don't change the verb after prefer to and we use "than" after saying our preference. We can use the contracted version of would => 'd.

Intensivo 3 | 2022

Expressing preferences

Multiple Choice

I _______ apples _____ than oranges.

• prefer/to

• like/better

Multiple Choice

I _______ cold to hot.

• prefer

• 'd rather

Multiple Choice

- Is Tom coming today?

- No. He _________ stay at home and rest than go to the cinema today.

• like better

• 'd rather

Multiple Choice

- Will you come with us tonight?

- No, I _________ to study for tomorrow's exam than go out with you tonight.

• 'd prefer

• 'd rather