@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）

这和 would like+不定式的完成式有点相似,would like+带to 的不定式的完成式也表示未能实现的愿望。