LA ACADEMIA DE VALDEPEÑAS WAYS TO EXPRESS PREFERENCE

In English, we have different ways to express our preference. We need to pay attention to the specific structure:

EXPRESSING GENERAL PREFERENCE:

PREFER:

ING FORM + TO: I prefer walking to cycling

NOUNS + TO: I prefer basketball to football

TO INFINITIVE + RATHER THAN + BARE INFINITIVE: I prefer to watch TV rather than listen to
the radio

WOULD RATHER:

BARE INFINITIVE (without to) + THAN : I’d rather walk than drive

EXPRESSING SPECIFIC PREFERENCE:

WOULD RATHER:

BARE INFINITIVE (without to) + THAN : I’d rather have fruit juice (than have a milkshake)

WOULD PREFER:

TO INFINITIVE + RATHER THAN: I’d prefer to have a tea now (rather than have a coffee)

NOUN + RATHER THAN: I’d prefer a tea now (rather than a coffee)

*PAST SIMPLE, when we speak about actions of other people: The film was quite violent, I’d
rather our children didn’t watch it.
II- GENERAL PREFERENCE

I- SPECIFIC PREFERENCE. 1- She prefers ___________________ (work) alone to

1- I ________________________ not to become a
computer programmer.
2- They _______________________ to interview you at
5 p.m.
3- ____________________________ come on Monday
or Tuesday?
4- My best friend _________________________
chatting online to talking on the phone.
5- I __________________________ to go to the
cinema rather than go to the theatre.
6- I ________________________ you admitted you
made a mistake.
7- They _______________________ having a full time
job to a part-time job.
8- I ________________________ not to talk about my
working life.
9- She ______________________ work with a different
person.
10- I _______________________ to have a job rather
than live on my parents’ expenses.
11- They ____________________ contract him than
her, because he is very pragmatic.
_____________ (work) in a team.
2- They’d rather ______________ (have) a part-time job
_______________ (be) on the dole.
3- They would prefer ______________ (receive) weekly
________________ (be paid) monthly as they are..
4- She prefers _____________ (study) _______________
(work).
5- He would prefer ____________ (be) an engineer rather
than a doctor.
6- Would you prefer ___________ (work) in Portugal or
abroad?
7- I’d rather ____________ (invest) in Portugal than in
Brazil.
8- They’d prefer ________________ (not/have) a well-paid
job rather than ____________ (do) something they don’t
like.
9- She would rather _______________ (be) unemployed
than _______________ (work) for this company.
10- I’d rather my daughter __________ (go) on studying than
_____________ (start) working.
11- We prefer _______________ (have) holidays in summer
to holidays in winter.
12- They would rather ____________ (go) on strike than
_______________ (accept) those bad working
conditions.