2024-12-06 How to use prefer, would rather and prefer – Ask BBC Learning English

Introduction

Maria has sent us a question by email. She wants to know what the difference is between ‘I prefer’, ‘I would prefer’ and ‘I would rather’.

Sian says…

Use prefer…

• to say you like one thing more than another when talking about general preference e.g. I prefer coffee to tea.
• with the preposition ‘to’
• with nouns e.g. I prefer coffee to tea.
• with verbs in the -ing form e.g. I prefer staying in to going out.

Use would rather…

• to say you like one thing more than another when talking about general preference e.g. Nowadays, I’d rather stay in than go out.
• to talk about a specific preference e.g. Tonight, I’d rather stay in than go out. I’m tired.
• with the preposition ‘than’
• with verbs in the infinitive (without ‘to’) e.g. Nowadays, I’d rather stay in than go out. Tonight, I’d rather stay in than go out. I’m tired.

Use would prefer + rather than together…

• to talk about specific preferences, like things you prefer to do now or in the future
• with the preposition ‘than’
• with the verb in the ‘to’ plus infinitive form e.g. I’d prefer to go out rather than stay in tonight.
• In spoken English, it’s common to contract ‘I would’ to ‘I’d’ and it’s common to drop the ‘rather’ e.g. I’d prefer to go out than stay in tonight.