Expressing like, desires,and preferences

PREFER

 Para hablar de preferencias en general, usamos el verbo prefer seguido de verbo acabado en -ing o de infinitivo con to sin que cambie el significado.

I prefer buying online = I prefer to buy online

(prefiero comprar por internet)

Resultado de imagen para prefiero comprar por internet

También podemos indicar que preferimos una cosa a otra con la siguiente estructura:

Sujeto + prefer + sustantivo + to + sustantivo

I prefer tea to coffe (prefiero el té al café)

Para decir que preferimos hacer una cosa a hacer otra podemos usar las siguientes estructuras:

Sujeto + prefer + verbo acabado en -ing + TO + verbo acabado en -ing

I prefer going to the cinema to staying at home.

(prefiero ir al cine a quedarme en casa)

Sujeto + prefer + infinitivo con to + RATHER THAN + infinitivo sin to

I prefer to read rather than watch TV

(prefiero leer a ver la televisión)

WOULD RATHER

 Significa prefiero o preferiría y va seguido de infinitivo sin to (bare infinitive).

Shall we go shopping? I would rather go to the cinema.

 (¿Vamos de compras? Prefiero / preferiría ir al cine)

Forma abreviada: I'd rather go out  (prefiero / preferiría salir)

Para decir que preferimos hacer una cosa a hacer otra usamos la siguiente estructura:

Sujeto + would rather + infinitivo sin to + THAN + infinitivo sin to

She would rather go out than stay at home.

(ella prefiere/ preferiría salir a quedarse en casa)

WOULD PREFER

 También significa prefiero o preferiría y va seguido de infinitivo con to. Es más formal que would rather.

Shall we go shopping? I would prefer to go to the cinema.

(¿Vamos de compras? Prefiero / preferiría ir al cine)

Forma abreviada: I'd prefer to go out (prefiero / preferiría salir)

Para decir que preferimos hacer una cosa a hacer otra usamos la siguiente estructura:

Sujeto + would prefer + infinitivo con to + RATHER THAN + infinitivo sin to

They would prefer to travel to London rather than go skiing.

(ellos prefieren / preferirían viajar a Londres que ir a esquiar)

¡Cuidado!

- Después de than o rather than siempre va un infinitivo sin to (bare infinitive)

(Prefiero viajar en tren a conducir)

I prefer to travel by train rather than drive.

I would rather travel by train than drive.

I would prefer to travel by train rather than drive.

Expressing Preferences

We often use words like prefer, would prefer, would rather to talk or ask about preferences.
"I prefer living on my own."
"Would you prefer to see a movie or go to a club?"
"Would you rather  go shopping with me?"

Those expressions are quite different in meaning and this is why learners of English often find them challenging. So here is how we can separate them:

Difference in meaning:

We tend to use 'prefer' to talk generally about likes, dislikes, what we want.
“He prefers reading books.”
“I prefer going to the beach than going to a swimming pool.”

The expressions 'would prefer' and 'would rather', to be a little more specific.
“I would prefer to see him in person.”
“I would rather go home now.”

Difference in form:

Followed by a different verb form:

“I prefer living in a city.” (followed by the gerund; the '-ing' ending)
“I would prefer to be told the truth.” (followed by the infinitive; to+ the verb)
“Would you rather stay at a hotel?” (followed by the base form of the verb; the verb without 'to'.

Different prepositions to state the choice.

prefer, would prefer – go with 'to'
“I'd prefer living in a city to living in the country.”
“I would (I'd) prefer being alone to being with the wrong person”.

would rather – goes with 'than'“I would (I'd) rather talk to him in person than call him on the phone.”

Affirmative: Roberto would rather practice soccer tomorrow in the morning. We would rather go to the forest.

 Negative: Roberto would rather not practice soccer tomorrow in the morning. We would rather not go to the forest. 

Interrogative: Would Roberto rather practice soccer tomorrow in the morning? Yes, he would No, he 

wouldn’t Would you rather go to the forest? Yes, we would No, we wouldn’t

Preferences (Prefer, Would Prefer, Would Rather And Like)

To ask about people’s general tastes or preferences, we can use one of the following.

• Which do you prefer juice or  water?                        I prefer water to juice.
• Which do you prefer drinking juice or  water?         I prefer drinking  water to juice.
• Which do you prefer to drink juice or  water?          I prefer to drink  water. (Or I prefer drinking water to juice.)
• Which do you like better  water or juice?                 I like water better than juice.
• Do you prefer water or juice?                                   I prefer water to juice.
• Would you prefer to see a movie or go to a club?    I would prefer to see a movie.
• Would you rather go shopping with me?                  I would rather go shopping.

These expressions mentioned in the sentences  are quite different in meaning, in forms and different prepositions to sate choice.

The Difference in meaning (Prefer, would prefer and would rather)

Prefer: We use the word ‘prefer’ to talk generally about likes, dislikes, what we want.

• I much prefer Jazz music to rock music.
• I prefer going to the beach to going to a swimming pool.

Would rather and would prefer: We use the words would prefer and would rather when we speak about a specific preference, would rather and would prefer have the same meaning and are interchangeable. Remember that they are different in the form.

• I would rather play in the defense.
• I would prefer doing my homework to watching TV.

Note: We can use Prefer, would rather to express general preference.

•  I prefer walking to cycling. (Expressing general preference)
•  I would rather walk than cycle. (Expressing general preference)

Difference in form  (Prefer, would prefer and would rather)

Prefer and would prefer:
Prefer and would prefer can be followed by Infinitive, Gerund and Noun.

• I prefer/ ‘d prefer living in a city. (Followed by  gerund)
• I prefer/ ‘d prefer to live in a city. (Followed by infinitive)
• I prefer/ ‘d prefer eating Pakistani food. (Followed by the gerund)
• I prefer/ ‘d prefer to eat Pakistani food. (Followed by infinitive)
• I prefer/ ‘d prefer fruit juice. (Followed by a noun)

Would rather:

Would rather is followed by the bare infinitive (base form of the verb).

•  Would you rather stay at a hotel?
• I would rather stay at a hotel.
•  I’d rather have fruit juice.

Note 1: We use a past tense after would rather when we speak about the actions of other people, even though that action may be in the present or future.

•  I’d rather you took a taxi (instead of walking) – it’s not safe on the streets at night.
•  The film is quite violent. I’d rather our children didn’t watch it.

Note 2: We can use much with prefer, would prefer and would rather to make the preference stronger. In speaking, we stress much.

• I’d much rather make a phone call than send an email.
• I much prefer teaching to working in a factory.
• She’d much rather they didn’t know about what had happened.

Remember: When we want to refer to the past, we use would rather + have + -ed form (perfect infinitive without to):

•  She would rather have spent the money on a holiday (The money wasn’t spent on a holiday).

Different prepositions to state the choice.

Prefer and would prefer:  We use the preposition “to” to state a choice with prefer and would prefer, but if prefer is followed by infinitive we can use the preposition “than” to state the choice.

• I’d prefer living in a city to living in the country.
• I would prefer being alone to being with the wrong person”.
• I prefer to live in a city than to live in the country.

Rather than: used with the infinitive form of a verb to indicate negation as a contrary choice or wish. We say: would prefer . . . rather than / instead of.

• I’d prefer to sing rather than play the violin.
  I’d prefer to be happier rather than sad.

Would rather: We use the preposition  “than” to state choice with would rather.

• I’d rather walk than drive.
• They would rather play than work.

Negative Answer:

• Would you prefer to go skiing this year or beach holiday?
• I would prefer not to go skiing this year. I would prefer to  go in the beach holiday.

Like: We can use like to talk about things or people which we enjoy or feel positive about.

Like + noun phrase

• I like Sarah but I don’t like her brother much.
• Do you like pasta?
• She really likes the singing of Atif Aslam.

Like + -ing

• I like reading before breakfast.
• He likes telling jokes.

Like + to-infinitive

• She likes to go and see her parents at the weekend.
• I don’t like to cycle in the dark.
• Do you think she would like us to bring some chocolates or flowers?

Like + wh-clause

• I don’t like what he did.
• We liked how they cooked the fish.

We talked about preferences, which is one of the most conversational demands, for this purpose, we use the words: like, prefer, would prefer and would rather to say we give priority or like one thing more than another. Remember these words are not in any progressive tenses.

I prefer brown sugar tothanthat white sugar.

2I don't want to go out. I'd rather stayingstayto stay home.

3I like trekking in the mountains, but I prefer lielyingto lying on a sandy beach.

4I'd rather go in December thatthanto in May.

5I'd rather come with you to staythan stayingthan stay here alone.

6I prefer travelling by bus to travelto travellingrather than travel by train.

7I usually have tea, but today I'd prefer havinghaveto have coffee, please.