Page 130 - English Grammar in Use

Unit
59 prefer and would rather

A prefer to … and prefer -ing
When you say what you prefer in general, you can use prefer to … or prefer -ing:
I don’t like cities. I prefer to live in the country. or I prefer living in the country.
You can say:
prefer something to something else
to doing something else
prefer doing something
rather than (doing) something else
prefer to do something rather than (do) something else
I prefer this coat to the other one.
I prefer driving to travelling by train. or
I prefer driving rather than travelling by train.
I prefer to drive rather than travel by train.
Sarah prefers to live in the country rather than in a city.

B would prefer (I’d prefer …)
We use would prefer to say what somebody wants in a specific situation (not in general):
‘Would you prefer tea or coffee?’ ‘Coffee, please.’
We say ‘would prefer to do something’ (not usually would prefer doing):
‘Shall we go by train?’ ‘I’d prefer to drive.’ (= I would prefer …)
I’d prefer to stay at home tonight rather than go to the cinema.

C would rather (I’d rather …)
I’d rather = I would rather. I’d rather do something = I’d prefer to do it.
We say I’d rather do (not to do). Compare:
⎧ ‘I’d rather drive.’ (not to drive)
‘Shall we go by train?’ ⎨
⎩ ‘I’d prefer to drive.’
Which would you rather do, ⎧
Which would you prefer to do, ⎨ ⎩ go to the cinema or go shopping?

The negative is ‘I’d rather not …’ :
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.’

We say ‘I’d rather do one thing than do another’:
I’d rather stay at home tonight than go to the cinema.

D I’d rather somebody did something
We say ‘I’d rather you did something’ (not I’d rather you do):
‘Who’s going to drive, you or me?’ ‘I’d rather you drove.’ (= I would prefer this)
‘Jack says he’ll repair your bike tomorrow, OK?’ ‘I’d rather he did it today.’
Are you going to tell Anna what happened, or would you rather I told her?
We use the past (drove, did etc.) here, but the meaning is present not past. Compare:
I’d rather make dinner now.
I’d rather you made dinner now. (not I’d rather you make)
I’d rather you didn’t (do something) = I’d prefer you not to do it:
I’d rather you didn’t tell anyone what I said.
‘Shall I tell Anna what happened?’ ‘I’d rather you didn’t.’
‘Are you going to tell Anna what happened?’ ‘No. I’d rather she didn’t know.’

118 would prefer ➜ Unit 58B prefer (one thing) to (another) ➜ Unit 136D