English for Engineering

By:
Sani Suhardiman
Hilda Tri Yulianti
Prefer to Rather Than: alternative and preference
We use prefer to say we like one thing or activity more than We use rather than to give more importance to one thing when
another. We can use a prepositional phrase with to when we two alternatives or preferences are being compared
compare two things or actions. (general preference)

I prefer going by train to flying by airplane He wanted to go by train rather than airplane.

He prefers sleeping to hanging out

Would prefer (specific preference) Rather than usually occurs between two things which are being
We use would prefer or ’d prefer, followed by a to-infinitive or compared. However, we can also use it at the beginning of a
a noun, to talk about present and future preferences. sentence. When we use rather than with a verb, we use the
base form or (less commonly) the -ing form of a verb

Would rather (specific preference)

Would prefer = would rather (more formal)

I’d prefer to go by myself. Rather than pay the taxi fare, he walked home. (or Rather than
She’d prefer not to drive at night. paying the taxi fare, he walked home.)
▪ I’d prefer Bali to Lombok .
▪ Johny likes hiking rather than cycling.
▪ Etc.

Please make 2 sentences using prefer and rather than!

1.
2.
▪ Then read the conversation and fill in the blank by using the correct words that you
heard. (Page 10)
▪ Let check your answers together !
▪ Passenger : Excuse me? Which platform does the 1____ to Cambridge leave
from?
▪ Train station attendant : The 10:15 train or the 2_____?
▪ Passenger : The 10:15.
▪ Train station attendant : The 10:15 train 3____ from platform 3.
▪ Passenger : Thanks.

▪ Passenger : Hi. Could I have a 4____for the next train to 5_____,

please?
▪ Train ticket vendor : Single or 6____?
▪ Passenger : Errr, single please.
▪ Train ticket vendor : The 7 _____ train is at 12:30pm, leaving from
platform 2.
▪ Passenger : And how much is it?
▪ Train ticket vendor : £13:50
▪ Ticket inspector : Tickets, please. Can I see your ticket, please?
▪ Passenger : Yes, here you are.
▪ Ticket inspector : This ticket is for 8_____.
▪ Passenger : Yes, that’s right.
▪ Ticket inspector : But this 9_____ doesn’t go to Oxford, it goes to Liverpool.
▪ Passenger : What? Liverpool? Oh no!

▪ Train station announcement: The next train arriving at platform 1 is the 15:45 train to Exeter,
10____ at Bristol Temple Meads and arriving at Exeter St David’s at 18:30.
▪ Harry : What time is our train back to London?
▪ Angel : It leaves at 4:30. We’ve only11 ____5 minutes.
▪ Harry : What 12_____ does it leave from?
▪ Angel : Platform 2. 13_____, over there.
▪ Harry : I can’t see our train anywhere. Let me see the ticket. Look, it says 4:20, not 4:30!
▪ Angel : Oh no, we’ve 14______it.
▪ Harry : No we haven’t, it’s late. Look, here it is now.
▪ Angel : Phew, that was 15_____!
1. 6. 11.
2. 7. 12.
3. 8. 13.
4. 9. 14.
5. 10. 15.