Más ejemplos de preferencia

• I like hot weather better than cold =

   = I prefer hot weather to cold =

   = I’d rather/sooner have hot weather than cold.

• I like skiing better than skating =

   = I prefer skiing to skating =

   = I’d rather/sooner ski than skate. 

• I liked playing in matches  better than watching them =

   = I preferred playing matches to watching them.

   (would rather/sooner no podría usarse aquí.)

• Would you like to start today or would you rather wait/would you prefer to wait till tomorrow? – I’d rather go today (than wait till tomorrow). I’d rather not wait.
• I’d prefer to start today. I’d prefer not to wait.
• I’d rather deliver it by hand than post it.
• He says he’d rather go to prison than pay the fine.
• I’d rather pay his fine for him than let him go to prison.  

rather than … would + infinitivo es posible en Inglés formal:

• Rather than let him go to prison I would pay his fine myself.   

• Do you want Ann to repair it herself? – I’d prefer her to ring/I’d rather she rang the electrician, o bien: I’d rather she didn’t try to repair it herself. 
• They want to camp in my garden but I’d rather they didn’t. I’d rather they camped by the river.
• He usually has a pub lunch, but she’d prefer him to come home for a meal/she’d rather he came home for lunch. She’d rather he didn’t spend money in clubs.