Prefer and Would Rather: Understanding the Art of Making Choices
This article is about prefer and would rather difference, prefer and would rather sentences and prefer and would rather exercise.
| Prefer | Would Rather |
| When you prefer to do something, it means what you prefer in general. | It is used when someone likes one option better than another. |
| We can use an infinitive with to. | We use the infinitive without to. |
| Example: I don’t like apple juice. I prefer to drink orange juice. | Example: Would you rather have orange juice or apple juice? I would rather have orange juice. |
Prefer to do and prefer doing.
One can use ‘prefer to’ or ‘preferring’ to explain what you prefer in general.
Let us understand by examples:-
- I prefer something to something else.
- I prefer this skirt to the skirt you were wearing last Monday.
- I prefer doing something to doing something else.
- I prefer going to the market than staying at home.
- I prefer to do something rather than do something else.
- Jack prefers to work in a school rather than work in a bank.
Would rather means that you would prefer (to do). After we would rather use the infinitive without to.
- ‘Shall we buy bananas?’ ‘I’d rather buy apples.’
- ‘Would you rather eat a sandwich or a cupcake?’ ‘A sandwich, please.’
The negative form is I’d rather not do something.
- I am sick. I’d rather not go to school today.
- ‘Do you want to go out this evening?’ ‘I’d rather not.’
- I’d rather do something than do something else.
- I’d rather do my homework this evening than play cricket.
Complete the sentences using I prefer _________ to_____________. Put the verb in the correct form.
- (ride a bicycle/ walk)
- (Cricket/chess)
- (Buy a doll /buy a teddy bear)
- (Use a broom / vacuum cleaner)
- (do homework/ watch TV)
- (eat in a restaurant/ eat at home)
- (dance/ sing a song)
- (go to the cinema/ watch films on TV)
- (visit my grandmother/ phone)
- (wash clothes/ cut vegetables)
People Also Ask:
1. What is the difference between “prefer” and “would rather”?
Prefer means a liking which is habitual.
Example: I prefer reading a book to listening to music.
Would rather refers to a choice one makes in a particular situation.
Example: I would rather watch films on TV.
2. Do “prefer” and “would rather” follow different grammar rules?
Yes “prefer” and “would rather” follows different grammar rules.
For prefer:
Prefer+noun-ing+ to +noun-ing
For would rather:
Would rather + verb+ than
I would rather draw than play chess.
3. Can we use “prefer” and “would rather” with people?
Yes, but the form matters.
Prefer → I prefer Ram to Riya.
Would rather → I’d rather talk to her than talk to him.
4. Are “prefer” and “would rather” formal or informal?
Prefer is more formal, while would rather is used in daily conversations, hence its informal.
5. Write 10 sentences with would rather.
I ‘d rather drink orange juice than eat an orange.
I ‘d rather buy a red t-shirt than buy a blue one.
I ‘d rather cook meat than cook chicken.
I ‘d rather help the needy than waste money.
I ‘d rather clean my room than sit idle.
I ‘d rather travel by train than by car.
I ‘d rather eat a sandwich than eat pasta.
I ‘d rather read a novel than read a magazine.
I ‘d rather phone people than message them.
I ‘d rather get a taxi than walk home.
Also Read:-
- It and There Difference and Use in English Grammar Best
- Quite and Rather Difference With 30 Example Sentences
- 30 Had Better Sentences Examples
- Articles Worksheet for Class 2 in English Grammar | Pack of 3 Best Grammar Exercises
- Pronoun Worksheet for Class 2 in English Grammar
- Class 3 English Worksheet on Adverbs| Download Worksheet for Practice
- Common Noun and Proper Noun Worksheet for Class 2
Written by Sukhjit Kaur, English educator with 17+ years of experience helping students master grammar and writing. Through EnglishVedas.com, she simplifies English grammar using examples from daily life and classrooms.