Prefer and would rather

UNIT 61   Prefer and would rather

A.   Prefer to do and prefer doing
You can use "prefer to do" or "prefer doing" to say what you prefer in general.

• I don't like cities. I prefer to live (or I prefer living) in the country.

Study the difference in structure:

            I prefer    (doing)   something        to (doing)            something else.
but:     I prefer      to do    something    rather than (do)     something else.

• I prefer tea to coffee.

• Tom prefers driving to traveling by train.

but:   Tom prefers to drive rather than travel by train.

• I prefer to live in the country rather than (live) in a city.

Use would prefer to say what someone wants (to do) in a particular situation. You can say would prefer to (do) or would prefer (do)ing:

"Would you prefer tea or coffee?"   ''Coffee, please''
"Should we go by train?"   "Well, I'd prefer to go by car.''  or
                                                "Well, I'd prefer going by car."                      


B.   Would rather (do)= Would prefer to do. After would rather we use the base form.

Compare:                                           {   Well, I'd prefer to go by car.
Should we go by train?  {
                                           {   Well, I'd rather go by car. (not to go)

• "Would you rather have tea or coffee?"   ''Coffee, please''

• I'm tired. I'd rather not go out this evening, if you don't mind.

• "Do you want to go out this evening?"   ''I'd rather not.''

Note the structure:
I'd rather do something than (do) something else

• I'd rather stay at home than go to the movies.

C.   Would rather someone did something
When you want someone else to do something, you can say I'd you did . . . / I'd rather he did . . . , etc. We use the past rather past in this structure, but the meaning is or future, not past.
Compare:

I'd rather cook dinner now

I'd rather you cooked dinner now. (not I'd rather you cook)

• "Shall I stay here?"   ''Well, I'd rather you came with us."

• I'd rather you didn't tell anyone what I said.

• "Do you mind if I smoke?"   "I'd rather you didn't.''