Published at February 17, 2025

Course on Expressing Preferences, Wishes, and Regrets - TOEIC® Preparation

TOP-Students™

Expressing a preference, a wish, or a regret is essential for succeeding in the TOEIC®. Whether it's to indicate a habit, ask for something politely, or share an unfulfilled desire, there is a range of expressions suited to each context.

In this course, we will discuss the main structures like prefer, would prefer, would rather, wish, and if only, detailing their uses and nuances. By mastering these subtleties, you can not only improve your oral and written expression but also better understand your interlocutors, whether in daily exchanges or professional contexts.

1. "Prefer" for expressing a general or habitual preference

"Prefer" is used to indicate a general or habitual preference, meaning something that applies globally, without being tied to a specific moment. There are 2 main forms possible:

Subject + prefer + (verb in -ing) / to + base verb
- I prefer reading books to watching TV.
- She prefers to study in the morning.
Subject + prefer + noun + to + noun
- They prefer coffee to tea.

2. "Would prefer" for expressing a specific and polite preference

We use "would prefer" to express a specific preference, often more polite and more specific than the simple "prefer". This preference applies to a particular situation or a specific moment. There are two main forms:

Subject + would prefer + to + base verb
- I would prefer to stay home tonight.
Subject + would prefer + noun + to + noun
- He would prefer orange juice to soda right now.
Would you prefer to have dinner now or later?

3. "Would like" for expressing a wish

"Would like" is used to express a wish, a desire, or to make a polite request at a specific moment.

I would like to have a word with you.
We would like to leave early tomorrow.
He would like more time to finish his work.

4. "Would rather" and "Would sooner" for expressing a strong preference

The expressions "would rather" and "would sooner" are used to express an immediate, strong, or categorical preference between two options. These expressions are commonly used both in speech and writing.

There are two main forms:

Subject + would rather/sooner + base verb (verb in the infinitive without "to")
- I would rather stay home than go out tonight.
- She'd rather not discuss the issue right now.
Subject + would rather/sooner + subject + past simple (when preferring someone else to do something)
- I would rather you stayed at home tonight.
- He'd rather she called him tomorrow.

Particularities of "Would sooner"

Although less common today, "would sooner" is used in the same way as "would rather" to express a strong preference, with an even sharper or more emphatic nuance.

I would sooner quit my job than work under him.

The difference between "would rather" and "would sooner" lies in their frequency of use and intensity:

Would rather is more common and neutral.
Would sooner adds a more emphatic or categorical touch but is rarely used in everyday conversation.

5. "Wish" for expressing a desire or regret

The verb "wish" can convey both a desire and a regret. Generally, it is used to talk about situations that are not realized or are difficult to achieve. Depending on the tense used, it will have a slightly different meaning, as we will see below:

A. "Wish + Past Simple" for expressing an unfulfilled wish in the present

Generally, the structure "Subject + wish + subject + Past Simple" is used to express a wish that is not realized in the present.

I wish I had more free time.
She wishes she were taller.
They wish they lived in a bigger house.

Nuance > Were is often used instead of was after wish (e.g., I wish I were).

B. "Wish + Past Perfect" for expressing a regret in the past

"Subject + wish + subject + Past Perfect" is used to express a regret in the past. It is a situation where one regrets not having done something in the past.

I wish I had studied harder for the test.
He wishes he had taken the job offer.

C. "Wish + Would" for expressing a wish for the future

The structure "Subject + wish + subject + would + base verb" is used to express the desire for a situation (or a person) to change in the future.

I wish it would stop raining.
They wish you would arrive earlier.
He wishes people would recycle more.

6. "If only" for expressing a strong desire or regret

The structure "If only" is used in the same way as "wish", but it allows for making the wish or regret much more intense. As with "wish", the same three versions are found:

If only + Past Simple: for an unfulfilled wish in the present.
- If only I had more money!
If only + Past Perfect: for a regret in the past.
- If only I had known it was your birthday!
If only + Would: for a wish concerning a future change.
- If only it would snow on Christmas Day!

This structure is very close to the conditional, you can read our complete course here: Conditional.

Conclusion

It is important to master the different ways of expressing a preference or a wish in English, whether for the TOEIC® or to be comfortable in English in various professional contexts. Mastering the nuances of meaning (general vs. specific preference, realizable vs. hypothetical wish, etc.) will allow you to communicate more effectively and correctly interpret what your interlocutors are saying.

Summary table on modals for expressing a preference or a wish

Expression	Context / Meaning	Example
prefer + V-ing / to + V	General, habitual preference	I prefer reading to watching TV.
prefer + noun + to + noun	Comparison of two choices	She prefers tea to coffee.
would prefer + to + V	Specific preference, polite request	I would prefer to stay at home tonight.
would rather + base verb	Immediate or strong preference	I would rather go for a walk than stay indoors.
would sooner + base verb	Variant of "would rather", a bit more emphatic	I would sooner leave than work in such conditions.
would like + to + V	Wish or polite request, at a specific moment	I would like to order a coffee, please.
wish + subject + V (preterite)	Unfulfilled wish in the present	I wish I had more time to relax.
wish + subject + had + past participle	Regret (unrealized action) in the past	I wish I had studied harder for the exam.
wish + subject + would + base verb	Wish for change (future or behavior)	I wish he would listen to me.
If only + subject + V (preterite)	Unfulfilled wish in the present (stronger than "wish")	If only I knew how to fix this problem!
If only + subject + had + past participle	Regret (unrealized action) in the past (stronger than "wish")	If only I had told the truth.
If only + subject + would + base verb	Wish for a future change (stronger than "wish")	If only they would arrive on time for once!

Key points to remember about modals for expressing a preference or a wish

Identify the nuance of tenses:
- Wish + Past Simple for a regret/wish in the present.
- Wish + Past Perfect for a regret in the past.
- Wish + Would for an expectation of future change.
Differentiate between "Would rather" and "Would sooner":
- Both mean "prefer", but would rather is more common.
- Would sooner is more emphatic or formal.
Favor politeness in professional contexts:
- Would prefer and Would like are often the most appropriate in emails, meetings, etc.

Other Courses on Modals

To learn more about modals, you can read our various courses on the subject: