Contents

2 Prefer3 Would prefer4,5,6 Would rather7,8 Had better9,10 It’s time11 It’s no good / It’s no use / / There’s no

point in12 It’s (not) worth(y) Exercises

Prefer / Would rather

Prefer to do and prefer doing

You can use 'prefer to do' or 'prefer doing' to say what you prefer in general.

-I don't like cities. I prefer to live (or I prefer living) in the country.

Study the difference in structure:

But:

- I prefer that coat to the coat you were wearing yesterday.-Tom prefers driving to travelling by train.

but: -Tom prefers to drive rather than travel by train.-I prefer to live in the country rather than (live) in a city.

I prefer (doing) something to (doing) something elseI prefer to do something rather than (do) something else

Prefer / Would rather

Would prefer (to do)

Use 'would prefer to do' to say what someone wants to do in a particular situation (not in general):

- 'Would you prefer tea or coffee?' 'Coffee, please.'- 'Shall we go by train?' 'Well, I'd prefer to go by car.' (not

'going')

Note the structure:

— I'd prefer to stay at home tonight rather than go to the cinema.

I'd prefer to do something rather than (do) something else

Prefer / Would rather

Would rather (do) = would prefer to do.

After ‘would rather’ we use the infinitive without to.

Compare:

- 'Would you rather have tea or coffee?' 'Coffee, please.‘

Notice the negative:

- I'm tired. I'd rather not go out this evening, if you don't mind.

- 'Do you want to go out this evening?' 'I'd rather not.'

- I'd rather not do it by myself.

Note the structure:

— I'd rather stay at home than go to the cinema.

Well, I’d prefer to go by car.Shall we go by train?

Well, I’d rather go by car. (not ‘to go’)

I'd rather do something than (do) something else.

Prefer / Would rather

Would rather someone did something

When you want someone else to do something, you can say ‘I'd rather you did ... / I'd rather he did ... etc.’ (Notice that now there are two different subjects). We use thepast in this structure but the meaning is present or future, not past.

Compare:

-'Shall I stay here?' 'Well, I'd rather you came with us.‘

Notice the negative:

- I'd rather you didn't tell anyone what I said.

- 'Do you mind if I smoke?' 'I'd rather you didn't.‘

Notice the interrogative:

- Would you rather I told your parents?

I'd rather cook the dinner now. (The subject is ‘I’)

I'd rather you cooked the dinner now. (1st subject is ‘I‘, 2nd is ‘you’)

Prefer / Would rather

Would rather someone did something

To show preference in the past, we use the structure:

Notice the negative:

- I would rather you hadn't sent that letter.

Notice the interrogative:

- Would you rather I hadn’t come?

subject 1 + would rather + subject 2 + past perfect.

I would rather you had read the lesson in advance.

Had better

Had better do something

The meaning of had better ('d better) is quite similar to ‘should.’

'I'd better do something' = I should do something or it is advisable for me to do something; if I don't do this, something bad might happen:

-You'd better take care of that cut on your hand.

- I have to meet Tom in ten minutes. I'd better go now or I'll be late.

- 'Shall I take an umbrella?' 'Yes, you'd better. It might rain.‘

- We've almost run out of petrol. We'd better stop at the next petrol stationto fill up.

Notice the structure:

I had better go now = I’d better go now (not ‘to go’)

Had better

Had better do something

The negative form is:

had better not = ('d better not):

- You don't look very well. You'd better not go to work today.

- 'Are you going out tonight?' 'I'd better not. I've got a lot of work to do.‘

The meaning of 'had better' (usually 'd better in spoken English is

present or future, not past:

It’s time

You can say:

- It's time to go home.

- It's time for us to go home.

- It's nearly midnight. It's time we went home.

We use the past (‘went’) after It's time someone ..., but the meaning is present orfuture, not past:

- Why are you still in bed? It's time you got up. (not 'time you get up')

It’s timeWe use the structure It's time someone did something especially when weare complaining or criticising or when we think someone should havealready done something:

- You've been wearing the same clothes for ages. Isn't it time youbought some new ones?

- I think it's time the government did something about the crisis.

We also say:

'It's about time someone did something‘ or

‘ It’s high time someone did something’

This makes the complaint or criticism stronger:

- You're very selfish. It's high time you realised that you're not themost important person in the world.

- It's about time Jack did some work for his examinations.

Expressions + -ing

- It's no use worrying about it. There's nothing you can do.

- It's no good trying to persuade me. You won't succeed.

It's no use / It's no good… (De nada sirve …)

There's no point in ... (No sirve de nada …)

- There's no point in buying a car if you don't want to drive it.

- There was no point in waiting, so we went.

- My house is only a short walk from here. It's not worth taking a taxi.- It was so late when we got home, it wasn't worth going to bed.

You can say: 'a book is worth reading / a film is worth seeing' etc.:- Do you think this book is worth reading?- You should go and see the film. It's really worth seeing.

It's (not) worth(y) ... (Vale / merece la pena …)

Expressions + -ing