Can I have iMessage on and still use SMS?

I have an iPhone and I prefer SMS to iMessage. If I have iMessage on, can I text someone on his/her iPhone using SMS rather than iMessage or will my phone try to use iMessage first no matter what? There's the "use SMS when iMessage isn't available" option, but is there a "use iMessage when SMS isn't available" option, too?

Your phone will try to use imessage no matter what if that other person has an iphone and have imessage on. No there's not a use imessage when sms is not available.

It will try imessage first, if that option is on and it can't send imessage, then it will send sms and turn green instead of blue. Even if you prefer SMS you should have imessage on as that allows others to msg you free.