Prefer & Would Rather

Three ways to talk about preferences — each with its own grammar and its own level of formality.

💭 Which Expression?

General habit

prefer

An ongoing, general preference

I prefer tea to coffee.

Specific occasion

would prefer

A choice for right now, more formal

I'd prefer pizza tonight.

Specific, informal

would rather

A specific choice, casual tone

I'd rather stay in.

💡 What comes after each one

prefer + noun/-ing + to + noun/-ing
would prefer + noun/to-infinitive
would rather + base verb (no "to"!) + than + base verb

I prefer dogs to cats. I'd prefer to stay in tonight. I'd rather walk than drive.

⚠️ Formal alternatives

Prefer that + clause is a formal way to express a preference about what someone else should do.

We prefer that guests remove their shoes.