I'd rather = I would rather + infinitives without to Same subject for both verbs. I would rather go [now or in the future] I would rather not go [now or in the future] I would rather have gone yesterday. I would rather not have gone yesterday. Different subjects for both verbs: I'd rather you went now, I'd rather you didn't go now. I'd rather you had gone yesterday. I'd rather you hadn't gone yesterday. prefer-preferred: I prefer coffee to tea. I prefer swimming to sunbathing. I'd prefer to same person for both verbs I'd prefer to go I'd prefer not to go I'd prefer to have gone yesterday I'd prefer not to have gone yesterday. Different person for both verbs: I'd prefer you to drive. [The negative of this construction is not very common. Use I'd rather you didn't ...] I'd prefer you drove / I'd prefer you didn't drive I'd prefer it if you drove / I'd prefer it if you didn't drive. Note:** I'd prefer you had driven last night. ** This is not correct. You would have to say I'd rather you had driven last night. If you want to use the word prefer to refer to a past event, then use this construction: I would have preferred it if you had let me know earlier. Please note these expressions: I'd MUCH rather swim in the sea than sunbathe I'd sooner go swimming than play volleyball. So which should you use? if you are talking about two verbs having the same subject, both phrases are good . When you are talking about two verbs having different subjects, then I'd rather is better.

Well,In order to make a sentence with "would rather" you have two options. 1.I would rather go 2.I would rather I went.(if "would rather" percedes a pronoun,the verb after the pronoun should be in subjunctive form which means "went" in this case instead of "go". 2."Would prefer" is followed by infinitive. I would prefer( I'd prefer) to have tea in the morning. however,there are better ways to express the same thing instead of using= "would prefer" such as I prefer to, I want to,I like to.

I would rather do that. I would prefer to do that. You use it when you need to.

The difference is that rather is a stronger way of saying "I want that" 70/30 out of a hundred, 70 being I want, 30 % i don't mind. I prefer is 60/40%.

These verbs are used when you have to make a choice. The other answers are very clear about how to use would rather and would prefer with verbs. Also remember that you can use would prefer + noun. 'Coffee and tea are both fine, but I'd prefer tea.' However, you CAN'T use would rather + noun.