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♦ Talk about preferences

A. Asking about preferences:                     

1. Which do/would you prefer? ... or ...?                  
2. What would you rather do? .... or ...?            

B. Expressing general preferences:            

1. I prefer ... (gerund) to ... (gerund).           
2. I don’t like either of them.                      
3. I like them both equally.                       
4. I generally favour ... over...             

C. Making a choice:                             

1. I'd prefer (to) ... rather than ...                  
2. I'd rather ...                                   
3. I'd sooner (do) ... than...            
4. Given the choice, ...                 
5. I'd go for ... any day/every time.           
6. I have a (slight) preference for (+ noun/gerund)       

D. Giving someone else the choice                

1. It’s up to you.                              
2. It’s your call                       
3. I’m easy                        
4. Whatever/Wherever/Whichever you prefer.


In pairs, ask and answer questions about the topics below. Give examples and reasons for your preferences.

• sweet / savoury food
• eating with the family / eating in front of the TV 
• Italian food / Chinese food
• getting a takeaway / eating out
• informal cafés / traditional restaurants 

Example

A: Which do you prefer: sweet or savoury food

B: I favour savoury over sweet food, because I don’t have a sweet tooth. So, if I’m hungry between meals, given the choice, I’d rather have some nuts than a biscuit.


Complete the second sentences: 

 

1. I don’t want to eat late. 

I’d rather ……not eat late……

2. I like home-cooked meals more than takeaways. 

I prefer ……home-cooked meals to takeaways……

3. Would you rather eat inside or outside? 

Which ……would you rather do, eat inside or outside……

4. I really don’t mind.

I’m ……easy……

5. If I could choose, I'd prefer to go somewhere quiet. 

Given ……the choice, I'd prefer to go somewhere quiet……

6. I don’t like one more than one. 

I ……like them both equally……

7. I don’t mid where we go.

I’ll go ……wherever you prefer / like / want……


Write the second sentence using the words in bold so that it means the same as the first one.

 

1. I don't want to talk about it. (RATHER)
…………………………………………………………………………

2. I don't want you to study English philology. (DID)
…………………………………………………………………………

3. She prefers dancing to jogging. (WOULD)
…………………………………………………………………………

4. I'd like you to tonight. I'm exhausted. (RATHER)
…………………………………………………………………………
5. I don't want you to come over. (NOT)
…………………………………………………………………………

6. He doesn’t feel like swimming today. (WOULD)
…………………………………………………………………………

7. Given the choice, I'd prefer to cat something savoury. (RATHER)
…………………………………………………………………………

8. If you could choose, what would you prefer to do? (RATHER)
…………………………………………………………………………

9. My mum doesn’t want me to miss school today. (WAS)
…………………………………………………………………………

10.  We'd like our teacher to be fair. (RATHER)
…………………………………………………………………………

ANSWERS: 

1. I’d rather not talk about it.     

2. I'd rather you didn’t study English philology. 

3. She’d prefer to dance rather than jogging    

4. I'd rather not cook tonight. I'm exhausted.

5. I’d rather you didn’t come over.    

6. He would rather not swim today.

7. ’d rather eat something savoury.    

8. Given the choice, what would you rather do?

9. My mum would rather I wasn’t to miss school today.    

10. We'd rather our teacher be fair.


Put the words in order to make phrases that are useful for asking and answering about preferences: 

1. rather/ you/ what/ do/ would/?

What would you rather do? 

2. both/ equally/ like /them/ I 

I like them both equally. 

3. choice/ I'd/ given/ prefer/ the fish/ the 

Given the choice, I'd prefer the fish. 
I’d prefer the fish given the choice. 

4. go/ a takeaway/ for/ any day/ I'd 

I'd go for a takeaway any day.


Rewrite the sentences so that the meaning is the same.

 

1. I don't like this one or this one. (either) 

I don't like either of them. 

2. I'd prefer to order Chinese food. (sooner)

I’d sooner order Chinese food. 

3. I'd rather sit here than there. (prefer)

I’d prefer to sit here (rather) than there. 

4. I'd prefer you not to talk with your mouth full. (rather) 

I’d rather you didn’t talk with your mouth full.


► Would rather and would sooner   

• We use the phrase would sooner when we say that we prefer one thing to another thing. They mean approximately the same as would rather: 

• We use an infinitive without to (Bare infinitive) after would rather and would sooner ‘In this lesson, we’ll learn how to talk about our preferences using the phrases would rather and would sooner. These phrases help us say what we like or want to do or what we’d like other people to do.’

- I would rather/sooner sit inside. 

Would sooner has the same meaning as would rather, and the two can be used interchangeably; however, would rather is much more common but less formal.

NOTE:  we often use a contraction when we use would rather/would sooner in sentences and short replies.

- I’d rather sit inside.


Would rather/would sooner + bare infinitive

1.    I'd rather to stay home than go out. ×
2.    I’d rather staying home than go out. ×
3.    I’d rather stay home than go out. √

• We use would rather/would sooner + bare infinitive (to express preferences about the present or future.)

1. I would rather go by taxi than drive.
2. I'd rather stay home until I feel better. 

• To make the negative form, we use would rather/would sooner + not + infinitive. 

I would rather not have chicken again.

• We use would + subject + rather/sooner + infinitive in questions to ask about others’ preferences.

Would you rather go by taxi?

• We can use the form (‘d rather not) in short answers to questions and requests.

“Would you like to watch a film tonight? → “Thanks, but I'd rather not.”


► Would rather/would sooner + subject + past simple     

 

• We use (would rather/would sooner + subject + past simple) to express that we would like someone else to do something. In this structure, we use the past simple, but the meaning is present or future.

1. I would rather you went home right now. 
2. They’d rather their daughter studied something different.

NOTE:  we use this structure when the subject before and after would rather/sooner is different.

I’d rather I waited here. ×
I'd rather wait here. √
I'd rather we waited here. √

• When forming questions with this structure, we use would + subject + rather + subject + past simple

1. Would you rather he came with you?
2. Would you rather I waited here? 

• To make the negative form, we use would rather/would sooner + subject + didn’t... 

1. I’d rather you didn’t come over. √
2. I’d rather not you came over. ×

• The same is true in the case of short replies. 

Thanks, but I’d rather you didn’t.


ملخص القاعدة

 

♦ Would rather and would sooner are the same, but would rather is is much more common:

A. Both of them express a preference for one action or situation over another

B. Both of them are often used with the base form of a verb.

Example:

1. "I would rather stay at home tonight than go to the party.” 

This sentence indicates that staying at home is the preferred choice over going to the party.

2. "I would sooner take the train than drive." 

This sentence indicates that taking the train is preferred over driving.

3. My sister would rather not go to Italy. It’s too hot there.

4. She said she’d sooner die than live in the countryside.

5. I’d rather dive than lie on the beach.

C. Both of them can also be used to express a preference for someone else do something

Example:

1. "I'd rather you didn't smoke here.”     

This implies a preference that the person should not smoke.

2. "I'd sooner you told me the truth".    

This suggests a preference for hearing the truth.

♦ We use (would rather/ sooner + subject + past tense) to say that we don’t want somebody to do something.)

1. I'd rather you cleaned the bathroom. 
2. I'd rather you didn’t go there alone. 
3. I'd rather they didn’t tell anyone.
4. I'd rather you didn’t tell me what to order!

NOTE: would sooner is more formal than would rather but less common.


♦ Prefer + infinitive to talk about a specific situation.

I would prefer to eat at home this evening.

♦ Prefer + gerund to talk about general preferences.

I prefer eating out.