Prefer to eat

English as a Second Language English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)
1

Test No. [color=blue]errors/inter-3 “Sally and her Letter”, question 4

If I have the choice I much prefer eat in a restaurant rather than in a public house.

(a) have
(b) eat
(c) rather than
(d) public house

Test No. [color=blue]errors/inter-3 “Sally and her Letter”, answer 4

If I have the choice I much prefer to eat in a restaurant rather than in a public house.

Correct entry: to eat
The error was: (b) eat

Your answer was: n/a
[size=200]_________________________[/size]

can it be prefer eating?

2

It’s not a terrible error! I just chose the ‘to’ construction because it is used when there is a precise distinction. Here in this sense it is between restaurant and public house. This difference is used after many verbs where the choice is between infinitive or gerund (ing form)

I like swimming (general)
I like to swim in a lake (precise)

But don’t worry - it is rather a fine distinction!

Alan

3

hey, I’m learning here…