Prefer to do и prefer doing
Чтобы сказать о предпочтении говорят `prefer to do’ или `prefer doing’.
Выражение `Prefer to do’ более употребительно:
— I don’t like cities. I prefer to live in the country.
Запомните различие конструкций:
I prefer something to something else
Но: I prefer to do something rather than something else
— I prefer that coat to the coat you were wearing yesterday.
— Tom prefers driving to travelling by train.
Но: Tom prefers to drive rather than travel by train.
— I prefer to live in the country rather than in a city.
Would prefer
Чтобы выразить предпочтение в конкретной ситуации применяют `would prefer to do’:
— `Would you prefer tea or coffee?’ `Coffee, please.’
— `Shall we go by train?’ `Well, I’d prefer to go by car.’
Отметьте конструкцию:
I’d prefer to do something rather than something else
— I’d prefer to stay at home tonight rather than go to the cinema.
Would rather = would prefer to do.
Инфинитив после would rather используется без to.
Сравните:
Shall we go by train? | Well, I’d prefer to go by car. |
Well, I’d rather go by car. |
— `Would you rather have tea or coffee?’ `Coffee, please.’
— I’m tired. I’d rather not go out this evening, if you don’t mind.
— `Do you want to go out this evening?’ `I’d rather not.’
Отметьте конструкцию:
I’d rather do something than something else
— I’d rather stay at home than go to the cinema.
Would rather someone did something
Когда хотят, чтобы кто-либо другой что-либо сделал, говорят I’d rather did…/ I’d rather he did…и т. д. В конструкции иcпользуется прошедшее время, но значение этой конструкции — настоящее или будущее время, но не прошедшее.
Сравните:
I’d rather cook the dinner now.
I’d rather you cooked the dinner now.
— `Shall I stay here?’ `Well, I’d rather you came with us.’
— I’d rather you didn’t tell anyone what I said.
— `Do you mind if I smoke?’ `I’d rather you didn’t.’