Preferences and Wishes in English
This page covers various ways to express preferences and wishes in English, focusing on the use of "prefer," "would rather," and related structures. The content is particularly useful for students learning to articulate their choices and regrets in English.
The page begins by introducing the basic structure of preference statements using "prefer." It shows how to use "prefer" with nouns and gerunds (verb + -ing).
Example: "I prefer TV to Radio" and "She prefers stepping to walking in a park"
The document then progresses to more complex structures, including the use of "would rather" for expressing preferences between two actions.
Example: "He would rather eat at home than eat at a restaurant"
The page also covers the use of "would prefer" in similar contexts.
Highlight: The distinction between "prefer" and "would prefer" is important for students to understand, as they are used in slightly different contexts.
The latter part of the page introduces the use of "wish" and "if only" for expressing regrets or desires about present or past situations.
Example: "If only he was/were a professional swimmer" and "I wish I lived closer to the gym"
These structures are crucial for expressing hypothetical situations or desires for things to be different.
Vocabulary: "If only" is an emphatic way of saying "I wish" and is often used to express regret or a desire for things to be different.
The page concludes with various examples demonstrating the use of these structures in context, providing students with practical applications of the grammar points covered.
Highlight: The variety of examples given helps reinforce the different uses and contexts for these preference and wish expressions, making it easier for students to understand and apply them in their own English usage.
