Regular verb
The verb to prefer
prefer → preferred → preferred
A2Meaning: to like one thing more than another · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
prefer / prefers - Past Simple:
preferred(double r) - Past participle:
preferred - -ing form:
preferring
Conjugation of the verb to prefer
Present Simple
| I | prefer |
| You | prefer |
| He / She / It | prefers |
| We | prefer |
| You (pl.) | prefer |
| They | prefer |
Past Simple
| I | preferred |
| You | preferred |
| He / She / It | preferred |
| We | preferred |
| You (pl.) | preferred |
| They | preferred |
All the forms of the verb to prefer
Present Simple
Full pageprefer / prefers
“I prefer tea to coffee.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are preferring
“I prefer tea (not I am preferring tea).”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagepreferred
“I preferred the second option.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were preferring
“I preferred tea (not I was preferring tea).”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has preferred
“I have always preferred tea.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad preferred
“I had never preferred tea before that day.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill prefer
“I will prefer tea tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to prefer
“I'm going to prefer tea this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould prefer
“I would prefer tea if it were cold.”
See the pageHow to use to prefer
1. Preferring something
- I prefer tea to coffee.
2. Would prefer (polite)
I'd prefer (I would prefer) is a polite way to say what you want.
- I'd prefer water, please.
A common mistake
1. I prefer tea than coffee ❌
To compare two things, prefer goes with to: I prefer tea to coffee. Than is a mistake after prefer.
Going further
Conjugating to prefer is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of prefer?+
Preferred, with a double r. The rule: when the last syllable is stressed and ends in one vowel + one consonant, you double the consonant. The same goes for refer → referred and occur → occurred.
Is it prefer to or prefer than?+
Use to: I prefer tea to coffee. You can also say prefer A over B. Prefer A than B is wrong.
Is it prefered or preferred?+
Preferred, with two r's. Verbs with the stress on the last syllable double the consonant before -ed and -ing: pre-FER → preferred, oc-CUR → occurred.
What is the difference between I prefer and I'd prefer?+
I prefer (Present Simple) is about what you like in general: I prefer cats. I'd prefer (I would prefer) is about now, and it is more polite when you ask for something: I'd prefer to walk.
What does preference mean?+
A preference (noun) is the thing you like more. Personal preference means your own taste. On websites, cookie preferences are your choices about cookies. Note: preference has only one r in the middle.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/prefer
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.