RATHER THAN ... PREFER TO

THEY MEAN THE SAME THING
ONE IS AN INTENSIFIER FOR THE MODAL VERB WOULD
AND THE OTHER IS A VERB - TO PREFER TO.

SINCE THEY ARE USED COMMONLY AND SIDE BY SIDE, SOME MISTAKES OCCUR EVEN AMONG NATIVE SPEAKERS.

PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING CORRECTIONS AND DIFFERENCES:


Number One:

? The bed was rather comfortable
OK The bed was quite comfortable

? The weather is rather good today.
OK The weather is quite good today.

When rather means 'to a small extent', it is usually used with words that express negative qualities:

The bed was rather uncomfortable.
The lesson was rather boring.
He has always been rather lazy

When rather is used with words that express positive qualities, it makes the quality stronger:

These cakes are rather nice. Try one!

Number Two:

X They rather violent films to romantic ones. [NO]

OK They prefer violent films to romantic ones.
OK They'd rather see violent films than romantic ones.

Note: Native speakers sometimes are confused over this distinction, because they drop the "would" for a " 'd " and then further drop the " 'd ", but if you ask them again they will add the would or the 'd.

Try it! You will see that I am right when they are asked to repeat what they have said.

X I rather take him to somewhere less crowded. [NO]

OK I'd rather take him to somewhere less crowded. [YES]
OK I prefer to take him to somewhere less crowded. [YES]

When you mean 'prefer' use prefer/would rather/would prefer [NOT rather on its own]

She says she'd rather speak to you herself about it.

(This is one of the reason that I do not like using contractions in written text because they obscure the grammar]

Number Three:

X I'd rather prefer just lie on the beach [NO - there is a reason but it is to complicated to explain]

OK I'd rather just lie on the beach.
OK I'd prefer to lie on the beach.
OK I prefer to lie on the beach.

DO NOT USE RATHER AND PREFER TOGETHER !!!

NUMBER FOUR:

X I told her that I would rather to go by train than to fly [NO]
OK I told her that I would rather go by train than fly. [YES]

X I would rather going abroad for my holidays [NO]
OK I would rather go abroad for my holidays. [YES]