这两者均可表示“宁愿,更喜欢”。 1. would rather是一个情态词组,后接省去to的不定式,表示某个具体的特定行为。 prefer是一个实义动词,后接带to的不定式,也表示一个具体的特定行为。例如: He would rather join you in the research work. 他宁愿加入到你的研究工作中来。 Which would you rather have, bread or rice? 面包和米饭,你更喜欢哪一个? We prefer to living this way. 我们更喜欢这种生活方式。 He preferred to go on a picnic with the girls. 他更喜欢和女孩们去野餐。
两者接不定式时,可分别与than和rather than搭配,表示“宁愿...而不愿”,would rather...than与prefer...rather than的后半部分均接省去to的不定式。例如: He would rather work than play. 他宁愿工作也不愿玩。 He would rather be poor than get money in such a dishonest way. 他宁愿受穷也不愿以这样一种不诚实的方法弄到钱。 They preferred to die of hunger rather than take his bread. 他们宁愿饿死也不愿接受他的面包。