Would rather  is used to express a preference in English. – Angolban azt fejezzük ki a „would rather” –rel, hogy valaki inkább csinálna valami mást, jobban szeretne valami mást csinálni.

Magyarul: „inkább” , „jobban szeretni”

 I’d rather go out for dinner. I’m hungry! – Inkább elmennék valahová vacsorázni. Éhes vagyok.

We went to the theatre yesterday. Today I would rather go to the cinema. – Tegnap színházban voltunk. Ma inkább moziba mennék.

Peter’d rather spend time on the beach. – Péter inkább strandra menne.

I would rather learn a new language than study math. – Inkább megtanulnék egy új nyelvet matektanulás helyett.

I’d rather have fruit juice. – Inkább gyümölcslét innék.

Would you rather stay at home? – Inkább otthon maradnál?

Would they rather do homework tomorrow morning? – Inkább holnap reggel írnának házi feladatot?

Would rather…than

Would rather is often used with ‘than’ with two verbs or objects when making a choice between two specific actions. – A „would rather”-t gyakran használjuk „than”-nel és két igével vagy tárggyal, amikor valaki választ két konkrét dolog között.

Examples:

Would you rather work for Tom than for Mary? – Inkább Tomnak dolgoznál, mint Mary-nek?

She would rather play tennis than go horseback riding. – Inkább teniszezne, mint lovagolna.

Would Rather – For other People

”Would rather” is also used to express what one person prefers another person to do. – „Would rather”-rel azt is kifejezhetjük, hogy az egyik ember jobban szeretné, hogy egy másik ember mit csináljon.

I’d rather she didn’t come with us today. – Inkább azt szeretném, ha ma nem jönne velünk.

Tim would rather Peter didn’t join the company. – Tim jobban szeretné, ha Péter nem csatlakozna a céghez.

I would rather my son worked in finance. – Jobban szeretném, ha a fiam a pénzügyben dolgozna.

Susan would rather Peter took a plane. – Susan jobban szeretné, ha Péter repülővel utazna.

Would you rather he came with us to the meeting? – Inkább azt szeretnéd, ha velünk jönne az összejövetelre?

2. The Use of Prefer

We use ”prefer” to say we like one thing or activity more than another. We can use a prepositional phrase with to when we compare two things or actions – A „prefer”-t annak kifejezésére használjuk, ha előnyben részesítünk, jobban szeretünk egy dolgot vagy tevékenységet a másiknál. Prepozíciós szerkezetet használunk az összehasonlításhoz.

Magyarul: előnyben részesíteni, jobban szeretni

I prefer tea to coffee. – Jobban szeretem a teát a kávénál.

We prefer going by ferry to flying. – A repüléssel szemben előnyben részesítjük a kompot.

We can use a to-infinitive or an -ing form after prefer. – A „prefer” után „to + infinitive alakot, vagy –ing-es alakot használunk.

She’s not keen on coffee. She prefers to drink tea./ She prefers drinking tea to coffee.

 – Nem kedveli a kávét. Jobban szeret teát inni.

3. The use of Had better(‘d better)

We use „had better” to refer to the present or the future, to talk about actions we think people should do or which are desirable in a specific situation. – A „had better”-t annak kifejezésére használjuk, hogy egy másik embernek egy adott helyzetben mit lenne jobb, mit kellene csinálnia.

Magyarul: jobb lenne, ha

It’s five o’clock. I’d better go now before the traffic gets too bad. – Öt óra van. Jobb lenne, ha mennék, még mielőtt besűrűsödik a forgalom.

She’d better get here soon or she’ll miss the opening ceremony. – Jobb lenne, ha már ideérne, vagy le fogja késni a megnyitót.

I’d better not leave my bag there. Someone might steal it. – Jobb lenne nem itthagyni a táskámat. Még a végén valaki ellopja.

You’d better not tell Elizabeth about the broken glass – she’ll go crazy! – Jobb lenne, ha nem beszélnél Elizabeth-nek az eltört pohárról. Irtó mérges lesz, ha meghallja!

Hadn’t you better switch your computer off? It might overheat if you leave it on. – Nem lenne jobb, ha kikapcsolnád a számítógéped? Túlmelegedhet, ha bekapcsolva hagyod.

Rather, Better or Prefer? Fill in the gaps in the sentences.

1. You’d …..  stay here until the weather is better.

2. I’d …… work outside in this nice weather.

3. Would you …… wait until everyone has arrived?

4. You’d …… not ring them now. They’re probably sleeping.

5. I’d …… have a window seat than an aisle seat.

6. You’d …… stay in and study tonight for the exam tomorrow.

7. I …… orange juice to apple juice.

8. They’d …… have lunch inside because of the swarming insects.

9. I’m not a big fan of the bus I …… travelling by train.

10. Although I also love the beach, I think I ……   the mountains.

Key

1. better

2. rather

3. rather

4. better

5. rather

6. better

7. prefer

8. rather or better

9. prefer

10. prefer

WH-questions practice

I. Fill in the gaps with the following question words: WHO, WHERE, WHY, HOW, WHAT, WHEN.

1. ……………….. is that girl? I don’t know her.

2. ……………….. did you call me?

3. ……………….. is Ken going to China? Tomorrow?

4. ……………….. is my T-shirt? I can’t find it anywhere.

5. ……………….. is your sister? Is she feeling better?

6. ……………….. did they go home? The party isn’t over yet.

7. ……………….. would you like for dinner?

8. ……………….. did Tom write this book? In 1997 or 1999?

9. ……………….. did the policeman see in front of the bank? A man or a woman?

10. ……………….. did you buy that car? It’s rubbish!

II. WH question formation.

1. ……………….. the door open?

a) Who left
b) Who did leave

2. ……………….. people so loud?

a) Why are there
b) Why are

3. ……………….. him leave without paying?

a) Why did you let
b) Why you let

4. ……………….. put her glasses?

a) Where did she
b) Where she did

5. ……………….. our new house?

a) How does you like
b) How do you like

6. ……………….. to the new carpet?

a) What have you done
b) What did you

7. ……………….. pizza?

a) Who likes
b) Who does like

8. ……………….. going camping?

a) When we are
b) When are we

9. ………………..? I was getting worried.

a) Where was you
b) Where have you been

10. ……………….. his bike?

a) Why is Jim selling
b) Why has Jim selling

Answers:

I. 1-who 2-why 3-when 4-where 5-how 6-why 7-what 8-when 9-who 10-why

II. 1-a 2-b 3-a 4-a 5-b 6-a 7-a 8-b 9-b 10-a

2. Which cartoon ____ you like when you were a child?

3. ____ there any money in this purse?

4. ‘____ jeans are these?’
‘I don’t know. They are not mine.

5. How long ____ it take to boil an egg?

6. Where ____ Shakespeare born?

7. ____ it easy to learn a foreign language?

8. What ____ you doing when I phoned you this morning?

9. How many brothers and sisters does she ____?

10. How long have you ____ living in this country?

11. Have you ____ seen a ghost?

12. ‘____ sent you these lovely flowers?’
‘Peter.’

13. What do you like ____ in your free time?

14. What ____ of books are you interested in?

15. How ____ does he earn a month?

16. ____ you type very fast?

17. ____ is more dangerous, motor racing or sky diving?

18. What ____ the weather like yesterday?

19. ‘What ____ your father do?’
‘He is a doctor.’

20. ____ you got a motorbike?

Megoldás:
1. far
2. did
3. is/was
4. Whose
5. does
6. was
7. Is
8. where
9. have
10. been
11. ever
12. Who
13. doing/to do
14. kind/sort
15. much
16. can/do
17. Which
18. was
19. does
20. have