例:Tom would rather/sooner read than talk./ Tom prefers reading to talking．
注意:would rather后跟不带to的不定式+than+不带 to的不定式，而prefer后跟动名词+to+动名词。
有时prefer后面也可跟名词，而在would rather之后要求只带动词原形。
例: He prefers wine to beer．= He would rather drink wine than beer．
@某些 prefer+名词的情况不能用 would rather完全确切地表达出来：
例:He prefers dogs to cats./He would rather have dogs than cats.很明显，这两句的意思并不完全相同。
@ would rather+不带to的不定式有时可代替 would prefer+带 to的不定式。
例: I’d rather fly than go by sea．=I’d prefer to fly． 我宁愿乘飞机也不愿乘船。
@这两个结构后面带名词时情况也一样：
例: —Would you like some gin？ —I’d prefer a coffee．=I’d rather have coffee than gin．
@would rather/sooner和would prefer后面都可跟完成式，但后者带to。
例: We went by sea but I’d rather have gone by air=I’d prefer to have gone by air．
(我愿意乘飞机去，可我的愿望未能实现）
