WOULD RATHER/ WOULD PREFER TO

1. When talking about PREFERENCES , you have to use the structure:WOULD RATHER + BARE INFINITIVE (verb without TO)

A: Would you rather (learn, study, go) ... ?B: I'd rather (learn, study, go) ...

2. However, when talking about what you expect other person to do, the structure changes:WOULD RATHER + SIMPLE PAST

A: Would you rather your sonwent to college or found a job?B: I'd rather he went to college. AFFIRMATIVEB: I'd rather he didn't go too far away. NEGATIVE

3.WOULD PREFER + GERUND (verb+ ING)

A: Would you prefer (learning, studying, going) ... ?B: I'd prefer (learning, studying, going) ...4.

WOULD PREFER + INFINITIVE (verb with TO)A: Would you prefer (to learn, to study, to go) ... ?B: I'd prefer (to learn, to study, to go) ...

HOW TO ASK ABOUT PREFERENCES?1. When asking about preferences you can use either structure, but WOULD PREFER + NOUNis used if the person has to choose between two things (NOUNS).Would you prefer tea or coffee? >> (PREFER + NOUN 1 or NOUN 2)2. If the person being asked has to choose between two actions,WOULD RATHER + BAREINFINITIVE is used:

Would you rather drink tea or drink coffee? >> (RATHER + ACTION 1 or ACTION 2)

HOW TO ASK COMPARING PREFERENCES?To form questions that compare preferences, you can use either TO or OR, that depends onwhat structure you are to use.Watch these three examples using the same idea and the same verb:

a. Would you rather buy a big car or a small one?b. Would you prefer to buy a big car or a small one?c. Would you prefer buying a big car to a small one?

As you can see you have to use TO with the structure PREFER + VERB ing.You dont need to repeat the verb in the second part of the question, because its the sameverb (buy) and the same noun (car), but in the examples above, the two options are madedifferent by the adjectives BIG and SMALL that modify the noun (car).

BIG car. = PREFERENCE 1SMALL car. = PREFERENCE 2

One more thing, since the question asks about BUYING a BIG car to BUYING a SMALL car, wedont need to repeat the word CAR in the second option. We use the word ONE instead of thenoun CAR.Would you prefer buying a BIG car to a SMALL car?Would you prefer buying a big car to a small ONE?COMO RESPONDER NEGATIVAMENTE?Para responder en forma negativa se coloca la partcula NOT delante del verbo principal.Observa:

I'd rather not watch television now.Prefiero no ver televisin ahora.