PREFER = general or habitual preference: "I prefer tea to coffee" / "I prefer working from home." WOULD RATHER = preference right now or between two options: "I would rather stay in tonight" / "I'd rather take the train than fly." WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive (no TO). PREFER can take TO + infinitive OR -ING depending on the structure.
PREFER: (1) PREFER + -ING (gerund): general preference for two activities. "She prefers working independently." (2) PREFER + -ING + TO + -ING: explicit comparison. "I prefer walking to driving." (3) PREFER + TO + infinitive: possible but less common than -ING. "I prefer to work from home." (4) PREFER + noun + TO + noun: "I prefer tea to coffee." The COMPARISON PREPOSITION in PREFER = TO (not THAN). "I prefer tea THAN coffee" = INCORRECT. "I prefer tea TO coffee" = correct. PREFER in simple present = habitual/general preference. PREFER in present continuous ("I am preferring") = almost never used — PREFER is a stative verb. WOULD PREFER: preference at this moment. "I would prefer to take the train" = WOULD PREFER + TO + infinitive (WITH TO, not bare infinitive). "I'd prefer to stay" = correct.
Most senior partners in the firm prefer to conduct high-stakes negotiations in person rather than by video call, as they find that face-to-face interaction provides significantly better opportunities to read non-verbal communication.
The organization has found that its clients generally prefer receiving a concise executive summary to reading the full technical report, though the detailed documentation is always made available for those who wish to review it.
Personally, I would prefer to defer the final decision until we have received the independent legal opinion that was commissioned last week, as committing to a course of action without that input carries an unnecessary level of risk.
WOULD RATHER: (1) WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive (no TO): preference at this moment, especially between alternatives. "I would rather stay." "She'd rather not attend." (2) WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive + THAN + bare infinitive: explicit comparison between two options. "I would rather take the train THAN fly." (3) WOULD RATHER + subject + past simple (to express preference about what ANOTHER PERSON does): "I would rather you submitted the report today" (past subjunctive — not "I would rather you submit"). "I'd rather you didn't mention this to the press." (4) HAD RATHER: archaic form equivalent to WOULD RATHER, almost gone from modern English. NEGATIVE: WOULD RATHER NOT: "I'd rather not discuss this now." QUESTION: "Would you rather...?" (choice questions).
Given the sensitivity of the information involved, the committee would rather discuss the matter in a closed session restricted to board members only, rather than in the open forum that had originally been scheduled.
I would rather you coordinated directly with the client team to agree the revised project timeline, as this would allow the specific constraints on both sides to be discussed and accommodated more efficiently than through an intermediary.
Would you rather present the full methodology section to the steering group and then address the financial implications, or would you prefer to lead with the cost-benefit analysis and cover the technical details subsequently?
Common mistake
THE MOST FREQUENT ERRORS: (1) WOULD RATHER + TO + infinitive: "I would rather to stay" = INCORRECT. WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive (no TO). "I would rather stay" = correct. (2) PREFER + THAN: "I prefer tea than coffee" = INCORRECT. PREFER uses TO for comparison: "I prefer tea TO coffee." WOULD RATHER uses THAN: "I'd rather have tea THAN coffee." (3) WOULD RATHER + SUBJECT + infinitive (for another person): "I'd rather you go" = INCORRECT. "I'd rather you WENT" (past subjunctive) = correct. (4) WOULD PREFER + bare infinitive: "I would prefer go" = INCORRECT. WOULD PREFER + TO + infinitive: "I would prefer TO go." (difference from WOULD RATHER: WOULD RATHER = no TO; WOULD PREFER = with TO).
Trick to remember it
FORM SUMMARY: PREFER + -ING / TO + infinitive: "I prefer working." "I prefer to work." PREFER TO (comparison): "tea TO coffee / walking TO driving." WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive (NO TO): "I'd rather stay." WOULD RATHER THAN (comparison): "rather fly THAN drive." WOULD PREFER + TO + infinitive: "I'd prefer TO take the train." WOULD RATHER that ANOTHER PERSON (past subjunctive): "I'd rather you STAYED."
Quick rule
PREFER + -ING or TO + infinitive = habitual/general preference. PREFER TO for comparison: "tea TO coffee." WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive (NO TO) = preference at this moment. WOULD RATHER + THAN for comparison. WOULD PREFER + TO + infinitive (WITH TO). WOULD RATHER + another person + past simple: "I'd rather you went."
Did you know?
The expression "would rather" has a surprising linguistic origin. In Old and Middle English, "rather" was the comparative of "rathe" (soon/early), and "I had rather" literally meant "I would have it sooner" — i.e., "I would prefer to have it already." Over time, "had rather" evolved to "would rather" (the "would" replacing "had" in most contexts), but the archaic form "had rather" still appears in literary texts and is understandable though old-fashioned. What makes "would rather" grammatically fascinating is that it follows the MODAL pattern for the infinitive (bare infinitive without TO), but is constructed as an idiomatic phrase — it is not a modal in the strict sense. The proof: "she would rather go" (correct, bare infinitive) but "she prefers to go" (ordinary verb, infinitive with TO). The "pure" modals (will, can, may, must, shall) always take the bare infinitive, and "would rather" behaves the same way even though it is technically not a modal.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Given the current market conditions, most institutional investors would rather _____ a cautious approach to portfolio rebalancing than expose themselves to the heightened volatility that characterizes the current macro environment.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The procurement team indicated that they prefer _____ suppliers directly rather than working through agents, as this approach typically results in more competitive pricing and clearer accountability arrangements.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
PREFER + -ING or TO + infinitive = habitual/general preference. PREFER TO for comparison: "tea TO coffee." WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive (NO TO) = preference at this moment. WOULD RATHER + THAN for comparison. WOULD PREFER + TO + infinitive (WITH TO). WOULD RATHER + another person + past simple: "I'd rather you went."
THE MOST FREQUENT ERRORS: (1) WOULD RATHER + TO + infinitive: "I would rather to stay" = INCORRECT. WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive (no TO). "I would rather stay" = correct. (2) PREFER + THAN: "I prefer tea than coffee" = INCORRECT. PREFER uses TO for comparison: "I prefer tea TO coffee." WOULD RATHER uses THAN: "I'd rather have tea THAN coffee." (3) WOULD RATHER + SUBJECT + infinitive (for another person): "I'd rather you go" = INCORRECT. "I'd rather you WENT" (past subjunctive) = correct. (4) WOULD PREFER + bare infinitive: "I would prefer go" = INCORRECT. WOULD PREFER + TO + infinitive: "I would prefer TO go." (difference from WOULD RATHER: WOULD RATHER = no TO; WOULD PREFER = with TO).
FORM SUMMARY: PREFER + -ING / TO + infinitive: "I prefer working." "I prefer to work." PREFER TO (comparison): "tea TO coffee / walking TO driving." WOULD RATHER + bare infinitive (NO TO): "I'd rather stay." WOULD RATHER THAN (comparison): "rather fly THAN drive." WOULD PREFER + TO + infinitive: "I'd prefer TO take the train." WOULD RATHER that ANOTHER PERSON (past subjunctive): "I'd rather you STAYED."
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy