21. 297 Wouldrather/soonerandprefer/would prefer

There is no difference between would rather and would sooner, but would rather is more often heard.

A would rather/sooner is followed by the bare infinitive when the subject of would rather/sooner is the same

as the subject of the following action:

Tom would ratherread than talk.

1 would rather/sooner + infinitive can be used instead of prefer + gerund for present actions:

Tom prefersreading to talking.

Note: would rather + infinitive + than + infinitive, but prefer + gerund + to + gerund.

prefer can also be followed by a noun, but would rather always requires a verb:

He prefers wine to beer =

He wouldratherdrinkwinethanbeer. 1 prefertennisto golf=

I'dratherplay tennisthangolf.

Some statements with prefer + noun have no exact would rather

equivalent: He prefers dogs to cats and He would rather have dogs than cats are not exactly the same.

o would rather + infinitive cannot express preferences in the past, so the past equivalent of Tom would rather read than talk would be Tom preferred reading to talking/liked reading better than talking. But see 4 below.

3 would rather + infinitive can also be used instead of would prefer + infinitive:

I'dratherfly thango by sea/I'dpreferto fly.

Note that with would prefer, only the preferred action is mentioned; see above. If, therefore, we want to mention both actions we must used would rather. Similarly with nouns:

Would youlikesomegin? ~ I'dprefer a coffeeor

I'dratherhave coffeethangin.

4 Both would rather/sooner and would prefer can be followed by the perfect infinitive:

We went by sea but I'd rather have gone by air/I'd prefer to have gone by air. (I wanted to go by air, but didn't get my wish.)

This is somewhat similar to would like + perfect infinitive, which expresses an unfulfilled wish. (See 296 D.)

В Subject + would rather/sooner is followed by subject + past tense (subjunctive) when the two subjects are different:

Shall I give you a cheque? ~ I'd rather you paid cash. Note the use of would rather + subject + didn't for a negative preference:

Would youlikehim to paint it? ~ No,I'dratherhedidn't (paint it).

Ann wants to tell Tom, but I'd rather she didn't (tell him). prefer, however, like like, can take object + infinitive:

I'dpreferyouto pay cash. I'dpreferhim not to paint it. I'dprefer her not to tell Tom.

298 More examples of preference

A / likehot weatherbetterthan cold =

I prefer hot weatherto cold =I'drather/soonerhave hot weatherthancold.Ilikeskiingbetterthanskating= I preferskiingto skating= I'drather/soonerskithanskate.

В / liked playing in matchesbetterthan watching them =

I preferred playing matches to watching them. (would rather/sooner could not be used here.)

С Would you liketo starttodayorwould you ratherwait/would you

preferto waittilltomorrow? —I'drathergo today(than waittilltomorrow).I'drathernot wait.Or I'dpreferto starttoday.I'dprefernot to wait.I'dratherdeliveritby handthanpost it.Hesayshe'd rathergoto prisonthan pay thefine.I'dratherpay hisfineforhim thanlet him gotoprison. rather than . . . would + infinitive is possible in formal English: Ratherthanlet him goto prisonIwouldpay hisfinemyself.

D Doyouwant Annto repairit herself? ~ I'dprefer herto ring/I'd

rather she rang the electrician or I'drathershedidn'ttry to repairitherself.They wantto campin my garden but I'dratherthey didn't.I'dratherthey campedby theriver.

He usually has a publunch,but she'd preferhim to come homefor ameal/she'd ratherhecamehomeforlunch. She'd ratherhedidn't spend money in pubs.