SAT Vocabulary: Understanding and Using the Verb ‘Prefer’
Learn about the SAT vocabulary word ‘prefer’, including its meaning, etymology, synonyms, antonyms, and correct usage. This video covers common mistakes to avoid and provides examples to help you use ‘prefer’ effectively in your writing and speech.
Imagine you’re at an ice cream shop, faced with dozens of flavors. How do you choose? You prefer one over the others.
This process of selection brings us to our SAT vocabulary word of the day: prefer.
Word type: Prefer is a verb.
Meaning: To prefer means to like or want one thing more than another. It involves choosing or favoring something over alternatives.
Word history: The word prefer comes from the Latin praeferre, which means to put in front. It’s composed of prae, meaning before, and ferre, meaning to bear or carry.
This etymology reflects the act of putting one option ahead of others in your mind.
Synonyms: Some synonyms for prefer include favor, choose, select, opt for, and prioritize.
Antonyms: Antonyms of prefer include dislike, reject, avoid, and shun.
Examples use in sentences: Let’s look at how prefer is used in context.
First, I prefer tea to coffee in the morning. Second, The committee will prefer candidates with prior experience.
Third, She prefers to study in the library rather than at home. Common errors in use: One common mistake is using prefer with the word than.
The correct usage is prefer to, not prefer than. For example, say I prefer coffee to tea, not I prefer coffee than tea.
When preparing for the SAT, remember that prefer often appears in questions testing your ability to identify correct verb forms or in sentence completion tasks.
It’s also useful in essay writing to express opinions or choices clearly. To sum up, prefer is a verb meaning to like or choose one thing over another.
It comes from Latin, meaning to put in front. Use it with to, not than, and practice incorporating it into your vocabulary to enhance your language skills and SAT performance.
