prefer…to… / prefer + to-infinitive / prefer + gerund

prefer…to… We use ‘prefer…to…’ to express preference

between two choices. What should I eat for lunch? A hamburger or a sandwich?

prefer…to… I prefer a sandwich to a hamburger.

I want to eat sandwich today!

prefer…to… We use ‘prefer…to…’ to express preference

between two choices. What should I do after school ? Singing or dancing?

prefer…to… I prefer singing to dancing.

I want to sing with my friends after school.

‘prefer + to-infinitive’ or ‘prefer + gerund’

We use ‘prefer + to-infinitive’ or ‘prefer + gerund’ when we want to talk about something we like doing in general.

Sandy prefers to watch TV.

Tom prefers watching movie.

Task 1Each of the following questions contains one correct and one incorrect sentence. Circle the letter of the correct sentence.

REMEMBER: “to” + Verb is not followed by “ing”A) Jack likes to sleeping in classB) Jack likes to sleep in classC) Jack likes sleeping in class

1. a. They prefer to shopping to doing sports.b. They prefer shopping to doing sports.

2. a. Mary prefers to juggling the balls.

b. Mary prefers to juggle the balls. 3. a.The audience prefers hip hop dance to magic shows.

b. The audience prefers to hip hop dancing. 4. a. The police prefer to arrest them in the school.

b. The police prefer to arresting them in the school.

Task 2Look at the following statements and underline the preferences.e.g. She prefers English to American literature.

a. English b. American

1. They prefer tea to coffee.a. coffee b . tea

2. I prefer watching a magic show to going to the

concert.a. concert b. magic show

3. John prefers to play football to basketball.

a. football b. basketball 4. My parents prefer going to Australia to Africa.

a. Africa b. Australia

Task 3Re-arrange the following groups of words into proper sentences.

1. Susan / to music / to listen / prefers / . /__________________________________________

2. prefers / she / to / swimming / dancing / . /__________________________________________

3. in the hall / English lessons / to have / prefer / the students / . /

__________________________________________4. eating candies / the children / drinking Coke / prefer /

to / . /__________________________________________

Susan prefers to listen to music.

She prefers swimming to dancing.

The students prefer to have English lessons in the hall.

The children prefer eating candies todrinking Coke.

Task 4Answer the following questions about preferences. Use the structure given to each question. You can choose your own preference.

1. Which do you prefer for dinner, rice or noodles? (prefer… to…)____________________________________________

2. Which do you prefer to have, a holiday or a computer? (prefer… to…)____________________________________________

3. Where do you prefer to stay, at home or at school? (prefer + to-infinitive)____________________________________________

4. Which do you prefer to eat, ice-cream or cheese cake? (prefer + gerund)____________________________________________

I prefer rice to noodles for dinner.

I prefer to have a holiday to a computer.

I prefer to stay at home.

I prefer eating ice-cream.

Would rather… (than) We use ‘would rather…than…’ to express

preference. What should I study? Science or Maths?

Would rather… (than) I would rather study science than learn Maths.

I want to study science.

Task 5Each of the following questions contains one correct and one incorrect sentence. Circle the letter of the correct sentence.

1. a. I would rather stay home than go out.b. I would rather staying home than go out.

2. a. Jane would rather play the drum than playing the guitar.

b. Jane would rather play the drum than play the guitar. 3. a. The students would rather performing a hip hop dance.

b. The students would rather perform a hip hop dance. 4. a. Wilson would rather go shopping in Mongkok after

school.b. Wilson would rather going shopping in Mongkok after school.

Task 6Fill in the blanks with the correct terms from the box below.

prefer would ratherto than

1. Grandpa prefers Chinese tea ________________ coffee.2. He ________________ run a marathon than run a 100

metre sprint.3. She ____________________ washing up to cooking.4. G.E.M. would rather go to the supermarket

__________________ go to the wet market.5. Peter ______________________ spend time with his

friends than play computer games.6. Most of the parents _____________________spending

time with their children.

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