Prefer, Would Prefer, Would Rather

You can use prefer to talk about general likes and dislikes. After prefer you
can use a noun, gerund or infinitive. Notice the connectors that we use to
compare two things or activities.
Examples:
I prefer books to films.
I prefer reading books to watching films.
I prefer to read a book rather than watch a film.
Make similar sentences comparing the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

travel by plane/ train

go out/ stay home at weekends
eat Spanish food/ Italian food
play football/ tennis
send e-mails/ write letters

We use would prefer and would rather to talk about specific, not general,
situations. After would prefer use a noun or an infinitive (with to). After would
rather use an infinitive (without to). Notice the connectors that we use to
compare two things or activities.
Examples:
Id prefer to eat out tonight rather than cook dinner.
Id rather eat out than cook dinner.
Make similar sentences comparing the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.

buy a new car/ save my money

rent an apartment at the beach/ stay in a hotel
study English tonight/ go to the cinema
download the music/ buy the CD

Note the negative form of would rather: Id rather not go out tonight.
We use would rather plus a past tense to say that a person would prefer
somebody else to do something.
would rather + different subject + past
tense
Examples:
Id rather you went home now.
My girlfriend would rather we didnt see each other any more.
Most bosses would rather their employees didnt risk their lives every
weekend.