Would rather, would prefer: Expressing preference

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✏️ Exercises

Would Rather, Would Prefer: Expressing Preference

Grammar chart explaining the use of 'would rather', 'would sooner', 'would prefer', and 'prefer' to express preference, with examples and usage rules.

🔹Would rather / Would sooner

We use would rather or would sooner + bare infinitive (without to) to talk about a preference in a specific situation.

✅ I’d rather have tea, please.
✅ I’d sooner have tea than drink that coffee.
✅ Would you rather have tea or coffee?

To talk about someone else’s actions (present or future), use:
would rather/sooner + subject + past simple

✅ We’d rather she was/were with us now.
✅ She’d rather I picked her up after lunch.
✅ Would you rather we went by bus or by train?

🔍 Note: After would rather + subject, we use the past simple (even for present/future). With I/he/she, both was and were are acceptable, though were is more formal.

🔹(Would) Prefer + to + infinitive

We use prefer or would prefer + to + infinitive to express a preference in a specific situation.

✅ I would prefer to stay in a hotel near the airport.
✅ Most clients prefer to have breakfast in their bedroom.

We can compare two options using rather than or instead of. Note: after rather than, use the bare infinitive.

✅ I would prefer to be too early rather than be too late.
✅ I prefer to go with Dad instead of staying here with Mum.

❗ Note: After rather than, we use the bare infinitive (without to): rather than be, not rather than to be.

🔹Prefer + -ing verb (General Preference)

We use prefer + -ing to talk about general, long-term preferences.

✅ I love running, but he prefers cycling.
✅ She prefers reading to watching TV.

When comparing two activities with prefer ... to ..., both verbs take the -ing form because to is a preposition.

✅ He prefers walking to cycling.
✅ They prefer eating out to cooking at home.

📌 Key Rules:
🔹 Would rather + bare infinitive → specific preference.
🔹 Would rather + subject + past simple → preference about others’ actions.
🔹 Prefer/would prefer + to + infinitive → specific situation.
🔹 Prefer + -ing → general habit or long-term preference.
✨ Use rather than (bare infinitive) or instead of (-ing) for comparisons.