辨析1：would rather 和 prefer
这两者均可表示“宁愿, 更喜欢”。但构成的句型略有不同：
1.would rather 构成的句型有：
1).would rather (not) do sth.
I would rather not tell him the truth. 我宁愿不告诉他实情。
2).would rather do sth (than do sth) 宁愿……也不……
I would rather listen to music than go swimming. 我宁愿听音乐也不愿去游泳。
3).would rather (that) sb did sth (that 通常省略, 从句里要用过去时态表示现在和将来)
I would rather you came next month. 我宁愿你下个月来。
4).would rather (that) sb had done sth (从句里要用过去完成时态表示过去)
We'd rather you hadn't done that. 我们宁愿你没做过那件事。
2.prefer 构成的句型有：
1).prefer n. to n.
I prefer orange to red. 相比于红色, 我更喜欢橙色。
2).prefer doing sth to doing sth
He prefers reading novels to watching TV. 相比于看电视，他更喜欢看小说。
3).prefer sb (not) to do sth
I prefer you not to come. 我宁愿你不要来。
4).prefer to do sth rather than do sth
They preferred to die of hunger rather than take his bread.
他们宁愿饿死也不愿接受他的面包。
5).preferred that sb (should) do sth (从句里,则用 should 加动词原形的形式,should 也可以省去)
He preferred that we do it some other way. 他更希望我们换一种方式做这件事。
辨析2：would rather 和 prefer
1.prefer 后能接名词或动名词作宾语,用动名词时,表示一个习惯性的动作。它也可与介词 to 搭配，
表示“喜欢...而不喜欢。would rather 则不能接名词及动名词。
We prefer to living this way. 我们更喜欢这种生活方式。
He preferred to go on a picnic with the girls. 他更喜欢和女孩们去野餐。
I should prefer you not to stay there too long. 我宁愿你别在那儿待得太久。
2.would rather 和 prefer 后都可接从句,从句中要用虚拟语气：
I prefer that the plan be fully discussed before it is carried out.
我更希望这个计划在实施之前先对其进行充分的讨论。
I would rather that you posted the letter in a minute.
She prefers to be trouble rather than be taken care of by her parents.
她宁愿有麻烦也不愿让父母照顾她。
source site:http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_50ed3d0f0100aeca.html
video source:Lesson 1 - Preferences - English Grammar.flv