Prefer vs would prefer/rather

Question 1

prefer

Answer 1

to say what you prefer in general

1) prefer to do st/ doing st

I prefer to live in the country / I prefer living in the country

2) prefer st to st else

I prefer this coat to the other one

3) prefer doing st to doing st else

I prefer driving to travelling by train

4) prefer doing rather than (doing) st else

I prefer driving than travelling by train

5) prefer to do st rather than (do) st else

I prefer to drive rather than travel by train

Question 2

would prefer

Answer 2

to say what somebody wants in a specific situation (not in general)

1) would prefer st

would you prefer tea or coffee?

2) would prefer to do st rather than (do) st else

I would prefer to stay at home rather than go to the cinema

3) which would you prefer to do,…

Which would you prefer to do, go to the cinema or go shopping?

Question 3

would rather

Answer 3

= I would prefer to do st

1) I would rather do st

Shall we go by train? I would rather drive

2) would rather do st than do st else

I would rather stay at home than go to the cinema

3) I would rather not do st

I would rather not go out this evening

4) which would you rather do…

Which would you rather do, go to the cinema or go shopping?

Question 4

would rather + past

Answer 4

1) would rather someone did st (the meaning is present)

Who is going to drive, you or me? - I would rather you drove

2) would rather someone didn’t (do) st

I woudl rather you didn’t tell anyone what I said

3) would s rather s else did st ?

Are you going to tell Anna what happened, or would you rather I told her?