Prefer and would rather - expressing preferences in English 🤓

Summary

In this video, viewers are introduced to various ways of expressing preferences in English. The lesson covers general preferences using structures like 'prefer to' with infinitives or gerunds, and specific preferences through phrases like 'would prefer' and 'would rather'. It also highlights using 'I'd rather you did' for expressing wishes or desires. The video aims to help learners communicate their preferences more effectively, offering clear examples and encouraging engagement through practice sentences. The final call invites viewers to interact with the content by leaving a sentence in the comments.

Takeaways

• 😀 You can express preferences using either an infinitive or a gerund after the verb 'prefer'. For example, 'I prefer to drink tea' or 'I prefer living in a big city.'
• 😀 To compare two preferences, you can say 'I prefer tea to coffee'—using 'to' is essential in this structure.
• 😀 Another way to express preference is by combining a gerund with 'to'—for instance, 'I prefer riding an electric scooter to using public transport.'
• 😀 'Prefer to do something rather than do something else' is a useful structure for expressing preferences. Example: 'I prefer to go swimming rather than go to the gym.'
• 😀 To express specific preferences, you can use 'would prefer + infinitive' followed by 'rather than'. For example, 'I would prefer to go to the cinema tonight rather than stay at home.'
• 😀 'Would prefer' can also be contracted into 'I'd prefer', like in the sentence 'I'd prefer not to drive.'
• 😀 Another way to express preferences is by using 'would rather' or 'would much rather', followed by the infinitive without 'to'. Example: 'I would much rather order a pizza tonight.'
• 😀 'I'd rather' is commonly contracted to 'I'd rather' and can also be used in negative forms like 'I'd rather not go out tonight.'
• 😀 The structure 'I'd rather you did something' or 'I'd rather you didn't do something' is used to talk about preferences involving other people's actions, with the past simple tense.
• 😀 It's important to use the past simple tense in structures like 'I'd rather you did something' (e.g., 'I'd rather you stopped smoking').

Q & A

What are the two grammatical options that can follow the verb 'prefer'?

After the verb 'prefer', we can use either an infinitive (e.g., 'I prefer to drink tea') or a gerund (e.g., 'I prefer living in a big city').

How do we compare two things using 'prefer'?

To compare two things, we can use 'prefer + noun + to + noun', like 'I prefer tea to coffee'. The word 'to' is important in this structure.

What is the structure for expressing preference between two actions or activities?

The structure for expressing preference between two activities is 'prefer + gerund + to + gerund'. For example, 'I prefer riding an electric scooter to using public transport.'

How do we use 'prefer' with 'to do something' rather than 'do something else'?

We can use 'prefer to do something rather than do something else'. For instance, 'I prefer to go swimming rather than go to the gym.'

What is the structure for expressing a specific preference using 'would prefer'?

The structure for expressing a specific preference is 'would prefer + infinitive with 'to' + rather than + infinitive without 'to'. For example, 'I would prefer to go to the cinema tonight rather than stay at home.'

What is the contracted form of 'I would prefer'?

The contracted form of 'I would prefer' is 'I'd prefer'. For example, 'I'd prefer not to drive.'

How can we intensify preferences using 'would rather'?

We can use 'would rather' or 'would much rather' to express stronger preferences. For example, 'I would much rather order a pizza tonight.'

What is the structure for expressing a negative preference using 'would rather'?

The structure for expressing a negative preference with 'would rather' is 'I'd rather not + verb'. For example, 'I'd rather not go out tonight.'

How do we use 'I'd rather' in the past tense to express a preference about past actions?

When using 'I'd rather' for past actions, we use the past simple tense. For example, 'I'd rather you stopped smoking.'

What is an important rule when using 'I'd rather you' for past preferences?

It's important to use the past simple tense when using 'I'd rather you'. For example, 'I'd rather you didn't complain so much.'