[Grammar] Usage of "Prefer"

[JamieIST]

Hi everbody,

I prefer to watch tv TO to play football..
I prefer to watch tv THAN to play football
I prefer to watch tv RATHER THAN to play football.

I prefer to watch tv TO play football..
I prefer to watch tv THAN play football
I prefer to watch tv RATHER THAN play football.

I prefer watching tv TO playing football..
I prefer watching tv THAN playing football
I prefer watching tv RATHER THAN playing football.

I prefer to play chess to basketball.
I prefer to play chess than basketball.
I prefer to play chess rather than basketball.

I am very confused about using the word "prefer"..I know that after PREFER , verb can be infinitive or gerund..but how can i use "than" and " rather than" in this situations..and if both is ok is there any difference in meaning?

another point "would prefer " and only " prefer " have the same grammatical structure with "than" and " rather than"?

And I saw another sentence structure : " I prefer you read book instead of watching tv." Is it right?
How can make it negative ?


ok I know it looks a a bit long question but at least if you write just R /right or W/wrong at end of the every sentence it is enough for me ..
thanks for your help ( and sorry for grammar mistakes if there is )

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello, Jamiel:

You have asked a great question.

Wow! You are right: in theory, we should say, "I prefer to watch TV to to play basketball." Of course, native

speakers simply will not accept " to to." It sounds too weird.

Thus, my books tell me that you have these choices:

I prefer to watch TV rather than play basketball. (No "to")

I prefer to watch TV instead of playing basketball.

I prefer watching TV to playing basketball.

Credit: Dos, Don'ts & Maybes of English Usage by Theodore M. Bernstein with the assistance of Marylea Meyersohn and Bertram Lippman.

Modern American Usage by Wilson Follett (edited and completed by Jacques Barzun).

 

[JamieIST]

thank you for your help