Expressing Preferences - Would you rather...

Expressing preferences is one of those functional areas that will come in useful across so many parts of any exam. For Cambridge exams, you’ll find a use for this language during the speaking part of the exam, but it could also pop up in readings, listenings or Use of English. For Trinity exams, expressing preferences is one of the functions tested at ISE I level and therefore expected at higher levels also. There’s no doubt that an examiner will push for and notice if a candidate is expressing preferences well or not.

Contents

Language for expressing preferences

There are 4 main ways to express preferences that all you students should know and use. With all of these, the second clause is not always included if the context makes it unnecessary.

prefer + noun/gerund + to + noun/gerund – used to talk about general preferences

I prefer tennis to squash.
I prefer cleaning the kitchen to cleaning the bathroom.

prefer + infinitive with to + rather than + infinitive without to OR prefer + gerund + rather than + gerund – used to compare preferences or talk about hypothetical preferences

He prefers to shop online rather than go to a shopping centre..
I’d prefer to have a few close friends rather than be very popular.
She prefers spending time outside rather than staying at home.
He prefers driving rather than walking to work.

would (much) rather + infinitive without to + than + infinitive without to – has the same meaning as would prefer

I’d rather see a film than go to a concert this evening.
I’d much rather live in a house than in a flat.

Notice that with the last example the verb live is not repeated because it is the same verb as the first clause and therefore not necessary.

The Materials

Have some fun expressing preferences with these chat cards. Students ask their partners Would you rather…? and their partner has to answer and justify their response. I like to set a time limit of a minute and then gradually increase that minute as the activity progresses.