prefer：更喜欢。说话者偏爱 A 和 B 之中的哪一个去做比较。
1. A prefer B (A 更喜欢 B)
I prefer cake. (我喜欢蛋糕)
但是，动词 prefer 的功能没有 100% 地被活用，因为 A 没有明确说出 B 的比较对象是什么。
2.A prefer B to C (A 喜欢 B 多于 C)
表示在两个名词间较喜欢其中一方，或宁愿选择其一。
I prefer cake to cookie. (比起饼干，我更喜欢蛋糕)
6. B 跟 C 可用 N. or Ving
I prefer playing baseball to playing basketball. (比起打篮球，我比较喜欢打棒球)
I prefer Paris to London. (比起伦敦，我比较喜欢巴黎)
3. 代替介系词 to 的 over 也可以被拿来使用
I prefer cake over cookie. (比起饼干，我更喜欢蛋糕)
4.若要表示喜欢做某事胜过另一件事，或宁愿做某事也不愿做另一件事，可用下列句型：
prefer + V-ing1 + to + V-ing2
= prefer + to V1 + rather than + V2
= would rather + V1 + than + V2
Amanda prefers cooking at home to eating at restaurants. (比起去餐厅吃饭，阿曼达比较喜欢在家吃)
=Amanda prefers to cook at home rather than eat at restaurants.
=Amanda would rather cook at home than eat at restaurants.
S. prefer to V. 后面加 either “instead of Ving” or “rather than V.”
I prefer to play baseball instead of playing basketball.= I prefer to play baseball rather than play basketball. (比起打篮球，我更喜欢打棒球)
5. prefer 是以表现状态为主的动词，没有现在进行式！
※ 另外注意
(1) 不定词 to V 和动名词 V-ing 作 prefer 的受词时，意义并无区别
Scott prefers to watch ( = watching ) action movies. (Scott 比较喜欢看动作片)
(2) 「prefer + that 子句」为「假设语气」用法，相当于特殊动词 demand 或 suggest 的用法，that 子句中的动词为「原形动词」或「should + V」
Amanda prefers that Jack remove his shoes before entering her home. (Amanda 比较想要 Jack 在进房前先脱鞋)
搞懂了prefer的用法，会发现有几个词跟它长得很像！没错！表达「比较喜欢」也可用 would rather 和 rather than 来表达。
prefer、would rather、rather than 三个词之间在表达和用法上的异同如下：
rather than
rather than必须连接两个平行结构，即并联两个词（如名词、代词），两个动词不定式或并联两个短语或分句。
I prefer to play baseball rather than play basketball. 比起打篮球，我比较喜欢打棒球
2. 当 rather than并联两个动词不定式时，后一个动词不定式一般省略to（在比较正式的文体中也可以保留to）。
In China，it is important to invest in education rather than（to）increase personal wages. 在中国，比起调高个人工资，投资教育更为重要
would rather
would rather是固定习惯用语，可用于任何人称，其简略形式是 ’d rather。 would rather之后直接带省略to的动词不定式。
Would you rather stay at home or go out with me？你比较想要待在家还是跟我出去？
2. would rather还可以与than连用，构成“would rather+省略to的不定式+than+省略to的不定式”结构。
Tom would rather read than talk． =Tom prefers reading to talking. 比起说话，Tom 比较喜欢阅读
3. would rather 之后带从句时，从句中的谓语动词用虚拟语气，即用过去式表示现在或将来的意义。
I’d rather she had repaired her car last night． =I wish she had repaired her car last night．我宁愿他昨天就该修好车
4. 一般来说，would rather 之后跟动词原形表达的意思是「偏爱，宁愿」，但如果其后跟动词 hope，think，like，enjoy 和 have 等时，would rather 则含有「很，非常」的意思。
I’m not sure，but I’d rather think so. 我没有十分把握，但认为很可能如此。
prefer
prefer 之后用动名词结构表示一般性偏爱，强调一种事实或一件事。
I like swimming，but I prefer sailing．我喜欢游泳，但更喜欢航行。
2.当 prefer 之后带两个动词不定式表示「偏爱…胜过…」时，用 rather than 连接。 Rather than 之后可以有两种结构：省略 to 的动词不定式和动词的 ing 形式。
I would prefer to spend the weekend at home rather than drive out．我宁愿在家度周末，而不愿意开车出门。
3.当 prefer 之后带两个名词或动名词结构表示「偏爱…胜过…」时，常用介词 to 连接两个部分，也可以用 rather than 连接。
I prefer watching TV to reading books．我宁可看电视，也不愿意看书。
