The verb “prefer’’ is used or applied in the present, past, or future tense. Now, we will get a sound explanation of the usage of “prefer’’ in all types of tenses.
The verb “prefer’’ provides the meanings of choose, adopt, pick, go for, select, suggest, and so on. We can use this regular verb in the present tense to mention is preferred, in the past to be preferred, and will be preferred in the future tense. We are certain to use the verb in all the forms of three tenses.
Now, we will get the utilization of the verb “prefer’’ in different types of tenses with relevant examples and detailed explanations.
“Prefer’’ in the present tense.
A present tense basically refers to the action that takes place or takes place in the existing time span. Here we will check how “prefer’’ works in the present tense.
We use the verb “prefer’’ to refer to our liking something, someone, or some ideas in the present tense more than any other options. We can use the verb “prefer”, and “preferring” along with am/is/are, has/have. had/had been in the formation of sentences to refer to the preference of something or some people.
When can we use “prefer’’ in the present tense?
We use the word “prefer’’ when we need to present an act in which we refer to achieving something or liking something more than the other things. We can use the verb “prefer”, “prefers” in the present indefinite tense, present continuous tense, present perfect tense, and present progressive tense to show our liking.
Examples and explanations with the usage of “prefer’’ in the present tense-
| Type of present tense | Example | Explanation |
| 1. Present indefinite tense/ Simple present tense | a. I prefer the red shirt to the green one. b. We prefer going to the park to the zoo. c. You prefer silence to chaos. d. He/she prefers tea to coffee in the morning. e. They prefer me to my sister. | Here the verbs “prefer’’, and “preferring’’ are used in the general sense. The usage of the verbs expresses our sense of taking something special more than any other thing. |
| 2. Present continuous tense/ Present progressive tense | a. I am preferring a woolen shirt to a cotton shirt in winter. b. We are preferring the football match to the cricket match. c. You are preferring this story to that drama. d. He is preferring a banana to a guava. They are preferring to stay in a hotel to an inn. | We see the application of verbs in the ongoing process of favoring something. But we should keep in mind that the verb “prefer’’ cannot be applied in the continuous format all the time. |
| 3. Present perfect tense | a. I have preferred to go to the hills for an outing. b. We have preferred to watch the match on the television to mobile. c. You have preferred the flowers to the fruits. d. He has preferred the mountains to the seas. e. They have preferred the town to the village. | Here we see the verbs “has/have preferred’’ are used in the present perfect tense to show the actions of liking something rather than others. |
| 4. Present perfect continuous tense/ Present perfect progressive tense | a. I have been preferring The picnic spot for a month. b. We have been preferring for several days the villages to the bustle of town life. c. You have been preferring the story to the comedy since reading. d. He has been preferring the curry of fish to meat for some months. e. They have been preferring me to my brother for some years. | Here we see the special liking for something for a period of time in the present moment. It is very unusual to apply the verb “prefer’’ in the progressive tense. |
“Prefer’’ in the past tense.
We need to use the past tense when we have to show the finished actions of the past. Here we examine the application of “prefer’’ in the past tense.
We can definitely use the verb “prefer’’ in the past tense to show the act of choosing or adopting something more than other things in the past time. We can use the verb along with was/were, had, and had been in the formation of sentences to show our liking in the past tense.
When can we use “prefer’’ in the past tense?
The verb “preferred’’ can definitely be used when we need to show the action in which we need to go for the things which could not impress us more than these things in the past. We can use the verb in the past indefinite tense, past continuous tense, past perfect tense, and past progressive tense to show our liking.
Examples and explanations with the usage of “prefer’’ in the past tense-
| Type of past tense | Example | Explanation |
| 1. Past indefinite tense/ Simple past tense | a. I preferred the woolen shirt to a cotton shirt in winter. b. We preferred the football match to the cricket match. c. You preferred this story to that drama. He preferred a banana to a guava. d. They preferred to stay in a hotel to an inn. | In these examples, the verb “preferred’’ acts as liking for something or someone more than others in the past. |
| 2. Past continuous tense/ Past progressive tense | a. I was preferring bread to rice. b. We were preferring to travel by train to bus. c. You were preferring to give me money for things. d. He was preferring to pay debts to accept more. e. They were preferring the blue shirt to the red one. | These are the instances in which we refer to the continuous actions of achieving something in the past. We unusually apply the verb “prefer’’ in the progressive tense to show its function. |
| 3. Past perfect tense | a. I had preferred to listen to music before my friend came to join me. b. We had preferred to enter the stadium before the mat started. c. You had preferred to buy a mobile before your father came to meet you in the shop. d. He had preferred to walk in the morning before the sun rose. e. They had preferred the song to hear before the main singer came to the stage. | In these sentences, we find out the verb “had preferred’’ are used to form sentences to give us the conceptions that we liked the concerned thing more than others in the past. |
| 4. Past perfect continuous tense/ Past perfect progressive tense | a. I had been preferring your song for some time. b. We had been preferring the hot weather on the hill for the whole day. c. You had been preferring this chair for some time. d. He had been preferring to listen to the speech for some moments. e. They had been preferring to use this method to solve the sums for an hour. | Here we find out that the verb “had been preferring’’ is used in the cited sentences to provide the action of preference in the past for a period of time. |
“Prefer’’ in the future tense.
The verb that helps us to understand the actions that will happen in the future is in the future tense. Now, let us get to know how “prefer’’ acts in the future tense.
We can use the verb “prefer’’ in the future tense to mention our desiring something or someone before or more than the other things. We apply the verb “prefer” along with shall/will, shall/will be, shall/will have, and shall/will have been to show our preferences in the future.
When can we use “prefer’’ in the future tense?
We can insert the action word “prefer’ in the future tense when we need to mention the matters or person more likable than other things. We can use the verb in the future indefinite tense, future continuous tense, future perfect tense, and future progressive tense to show our liking.
Examples and explanations of “prefer’’ in the future tense-
| Type of future tense | Example | Explanation |
| 1. Future indefinite tense/ Simple future tense | a. I/we will prefer to read stories to poems. b. You/ he will prefer to visit the sea to the desert. c. They will prefer to take coffee to tea tomorrow. | Here it is found that the verb “prefer’’ is used to show the preference for something in the future in a general sense. |
| 2. Future continuous tense/ Future progressive tense | a. I/we shall be preferring to have two shirts. b. You will be preferring to help me to help. c. You/he/they will be preferring to spend the night in this village to the city. | Here we have found that the verb “prefer’’ is applied in these sentences to show our liking for the things in a continuous motion in the future. |
| 3. Future perfect tense | a. I shall have preferred to take tea to coffee tomorrow. b. We shall have preferred to take the gifts offered to us. c. You/he/they will have preferred to see the poor with sympathy. | Here we have come across that the verb “prefer’’ is used to show the wish to have some things more than other things. |
| 4. Future perfect continuous tense/ Future perfect progressive tense | a. I/we shall have been preferring to have sad music for some days. b. You/he/they/will have been preferring to cook for the night to sit idly. | In the sentences, the verb “prefer’’ is used in the future progressive tense to mention the acceptance of something in the continuous process in the future time span. |
Conclusion
The article describes the application of “prefer” in all the forms of various tenses. We may say that we can make phrases with the verb like “I would prefer it if”, and “prefer charges”. We can frame phrasal verbs like “prefer for’’, and “prefer to’’. We can use the term “preferable’’ as an adjective and “preference’’ as a noun.
Hi…. I am Goutam Datta. I have completed a double M. A. in English and B. Ed. I am a creative writer. Currently, I am a part of the LambdaGeeks.
