What is the difference between "would rather" and "would prefer"?

Both express preferences, but they use different grammar. "Would rather" is followed by a bare infinitive (I'd rather stay), while "would prefer" uses "to + infinitive" (I'd prefer to stay). "Would prefer" is slightly more formal. Example: "I'd rather walk" = "I'd prefer to walk".

When do I use "had better" instead of "should"?

"Had better" is stronger than "should" and implies a warning or negative consequence if the advice isn't followed. Use "had better" when there's urgency or potential trouble. "You'd better hurry or you'll miss the train" vs "You should hurry" (milder suggestion).

Why is it "had better" if we're talking about the present or future?

Despite using "had", this structure always refers to present or future situations. It's a fixed expression where "had" doesn't indicate past time. The "had" is often contracted to "'d" in speech (You'd better go).

How do I use "would rather" to talk about what someone else should do?

Use "would rather + person + past tense": "I'd rather you didn't smoke" means "I prefer that you don't smoke." The past tense doesn't refer to past time - it creates distance for politeness.

Can I use "had better" for other people?

Yes! You can give advice or warnings to others: "You'd better see a doctor" or "They'd better arrive on time." When giving strong advice to others, it can sound like a threat, so use it carefully in formal situations.

What comes after "would rather than"?

After "rather than", use a bare infinitive: "I'd rather walk than take the bus." Both verbs should be in the same form. Don't say "I'd rather walk than to take" or "I'd rather walk than taking."

Would Rather, Would Prefer & Had Better

Master expressing preferences and giving strong advice with 4 exercises and 80 practice questions

Exercises

Questions

Total Time

–/4

Completed

Start with Comparison Exercise Take Mixed Practice Test

All 4 Exercises

Would Rather vs Would Prefer

medium

Transform sentences between would rather and would prefer structures

20 questions • 15 min

Start Exercise

Would Rather + Someone Else

medium

Express preferences about what other people should do using past tense

20 questions • 15 min

Start Exercise

Had Better - Advice & Warnings

medium

Transform advice and warnings into had better sentences

20 questions • 15 min

Start Exercise

Mixed Practice

hard

Practice all three structures: would rather, would prefer, and had better

20 questions • 20 min

Start Exercise

What are would rather, would prefer, and had better?

These three structures help you express preferences and give advice in English. "Would rather" and "would prefer" both express what you prefer, while "had better" gives strong advice or warnings. Corpus research shows these structures are extremely common in everyday conversation, particularly in decision-making situations.

Would Rather

+ bare infinitive

"I'd rather stay home."

Would Prefer

+ to infinitive

"I'd prefer to stay home."

Had Better

+ bare infinitive (advice)

"You'd better hurry."

Would Rather vs Would Prefer - Quick Reference

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How do you use "would rather"?

"Would rather" expresses a preference between options. It's followed by a bare infinitive (without "to"). Use "rather than" to compare two options in the same sentence.

Basic structure

Subject + would rather + bare infinitive

"I'd rather walk."

Comparing two options

Subject + would rather + verb + than + verb

"I'd rather walk than take the bus."

Negative

Subject + would rather + not + bare infinitive

"I'd rather not go out tonight."

Key rule: Never use "to" after "would rather". Say "I'd rather go" (correct), not "I'd rather to go" (wrong).

How do you use "would rather" for someone else?

When you want to express what you prefer another person to do (or not do), use "would rather" followed by the person and a past tense verb. The past tense creates polite distance - it doesn't refer to past time.

Situation	Example
Positive preference	"I'd rather you came tomorrow."
Negative preference	"I'd rather you didn't tell anyone."
Question form	"Would you rather I waited here?"

⚠️

Common mistake

✗ "I'd rather you don't smoke."→✓ "I'd rather you didn't smoke."

Use past tense for the other person's action, even for present/future meaning.

How do you use "would prefer"?

"Would prefer" has the same meaning as "would rather" but uses different grammar. It sounds slightly more formal and is followed by "to + infinitive". You can also use it with nouns or "if" clauses.

With "to + infinitive"

"I'd prefer to walk."

With nouns

"I'd prefer tea to coffee."

Comparing actions

"I'd prefer to walk rather than drive."

For someone else (+ if clause)

"I'd prefer it if you didn't mention this."

Converting between structures:
"I'd rather stay" = "I'd prefer to stay"
"I'd rather not go" = "I'd prefer not to go"

How do you use "had better" to give advice?

"Had better" gives strong advice with an implied warning - if you don't follow the advice, something bad might happen. It's stronger than "should" but not as strong as "must". Despite using "had", it always refers to present or future situations.

Positive

Subject + had better + bare infinitive

"You'd better hurry or you'll miss the train."

−

Negative

Subject + had better + not + bare infinitive

"You'd better not be late again."

Download Infographic

What is the difference between "had better" and "should"?

"Should" gives general advice or opinions, while "had better" implies urgency and potential negative consequences. Choose "had better" when there's a warning or risk involved.

Should (mild)	Had Better (strong)
"You should see a doctor." (suggestion)	"You'd better see a doctor." (it's serious!)
"You should study more." (advice)	"You'd better study or you'll fail." (warning)
"I should call her." (self-reflection)	"I'd better call her before she gets angry."

Strength of advice (weak → strong):

could→should→had better→must

What are the most common mistakes with these structures?

These three structures have specific grammar rules that learners often mix up. Here are the most frequent errors to avoid.

Using "to" after "would rather"

✗ "I'd rather to stay home."→✓ "I'd rather stay home."

Missing "to" after "would prefer"

✗ "I'd prefer stay home."→✓ "I'd prefer to stay home."

Using present tense for someone else with "would rather"

✗ "I'd rather you don't come."→✓ "I'd rather you didn't come."

Wrong negative form of "had better"

✗ "You hadn't better go."→✓ "You'd better not go."

When should you use each structure?

Choose the right structure based on what you want to communicate: personal preferences, preferences about others, or strong advice with warnings.

Your Own Preferences

Use "would rather" or "would prefer" - both work!

"I'd rather/prefer to work from home."

What Others Should Do

Use "would rather + person + past tense"

"I'd rather you came with me."

Strong Advice / Warnings

Use "had better" when there are consequences

"You'd better leave now or you'll be late."

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

Grammar explanations and examples based on:

•
Cambridge Grammar of English - Comprehensive reference for would rather/would prefer structures and usage patterns.Cambridge Dictionary
•
English Grammar in Use (Murphy, 2019) - Standard reference for intermediate learners, used for had better structures and common errors.
•
Practical English Usage (Swan, 2016) - Reference for the subtle differences between would rather and would prefer in formal vs informal contexts.
•
COCA Corpus Analysis - Frequency data showing "would rather" appears approximately 3x more often than "would prefer" in spoken English.