Would rather and would prefer

Would Rather

and

Would Prefer

Would rather

… d’ rather

Would sooner

would rather/sooner + infinitive … (than)

We use would rather/sooner + infinitive (without to) to talk about
preference. We can use it with than (+noun/infinitive) in affirmative
sentences or with or in questions.

●

I‘d rather/sooner have tea, please.

●

I‘d rather/soonerhave tea than drink that coffee.

●

Would you rather/soonerhave tea or coffee?

would rather/sooner + subject + past simple

We can use would rather/sooner + subject + past simple to refer to the
present or future.

●We‘d rather/soonershe was/were with us now.*

●She‘d rather/soonerI picked her up after lunch.

●Would you rather/soonerwe went by bus or by train?

Notethat we can use were instead of was with I/he/she after would rather + subject.

Prefer

Would prefer

Prefer

(would) prefer + to + infinitive … (rather than/instead of)

We use prefer/would prefer + noun or to + infinitive to talk about specific preference,
i.e. what we prefer on a specific occasion.

●I would prefer tostay in a hotel near the airport. (or I would rather stay…)

●Most clients prefer to have breakfast in their bedroom.

We can use prefer/would prefer with rather than or instead of to show the choices we
have.

●I would prefer tobe too early rather than betoo late.

●I prefer to go with dad instead of staying here with mum.

Note that we use rather than + infinitive without to

prefer + -ing verb

We use prefer + noun or -ing verb to talk about general preference, i.e. what we
prefer in general, on every occasion.

●I love running, but he prefers cycling.

We can use prefer with to to show the choices we have. The word to is a
preposition here, so if we use a verb after to, it should take the -ing form.

●He prefers walkingtocycling.

Study more

●https://youtu.be/CakspCiJrsw

●https://youtu.be/35zlUQUCxQk

●https://youtu.be/yg_9mfaL6DA

Practice

●https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/63ca59cd943f75001d5f22e0?s
ource=quiz_share

●