Would rather, would sooner(=would rather, 但用的頻率低很多), would prefer, prefer三個詞組好似一鍋粥，本文試從新的角度解讀他們的區別。

寫在前邊：（非常重要！非常重要！）1. 大部分情況would prefer的用法和意思與prefer一致。Prefer用於一般偏好（general preference）。隻是一個關於喜好的事實，與特定的事件或時間無關。 例如，你可能更喜歡一種風格的音樂，或者你喜歡一種食物勝過其他食物。would prefer用於特定偏好（specific preference）。在給定的時間、狀況下喜歡或想要更多的東西，無論是現在還是將來。Would rather也用於特定偏好。2. would prefer中心詞是動詞prefer，我們可以把would prefer理解為動詞短語。因此，後邊可以加名詞；如果加動詞，需要變形為doing/to do。3. would rather中的兩個詞分別是情態動詞和副詞，兩個詞合起來相當於語法結構上以would為中心的情態動詞詞組。因此，後邊不可加名詞；如果加動詞，直接加動詞原形。

c51e1800b15d5ebfb0046fa82b72eaf4

接下來從4種使用場景詳細說明：

1. 當比較apples和bananas兩個名詞時，可以說：

I prefer apples (to bananas). 搭配to作比較, 而不用than; 在語境下比較對象可以不說。

I would prefer apples (to bananas). Prefer與prefer用法一致

不能用I would rather apples. Would rather後邊不能加名詞，理由見寫在前邊3

2. 當比較swim和run兩個動詞時，

I prefer swimming (to running) =I prefer to swim (rather than run). Prefer用法很靈活

I would prefer to swim (rather than run). Would prefer後邊加to do，理由見寫在前邊2

I would rather swim (than run). =I would swim rather than run. Would rather後邊加動詞原形，理由見寫在前邊3

3. 當比較swim和run兩個動詞，但對象是別人時

prefer sb to do sth 不常見這樣的說法，用would prefer就好瞭

would prefer sb to do sth

例子：I would prefer him to swim (rather than run) =I would prefer it if he swam.（虛擬）

They’d prefer us to come later. = They’d prefer it if we came later. (虛擬)

would rather sb did sth （現在和將來 虛擬）

would rather sb had done sth (過去 虛擬)

例子：I would rather you came tomorrow. 我更希望你明天來。

I would rather you had come yesterday. 我寧願你昨天就來過瞭。

4. 當加that-從句時

I would prefer that you did not mention my name. 我希望你不要說出我的名字。

Prefer通常不這樣用

would rather是情態動詞詞組，不能加that從句

這裡要說明一下，would prefer that的用法是一團漿糊，大傢見仁見智吧

9c54736610d7da778ef1157dfd807999

264fe9563fbad5ddb478cb297189ba46

安裝【外文在線】app，口令【787】，獲得資源和更多英語學習資訊。