Let’s take a look at the differences between them. Than and Then The words then and than look similar, but their uses are very different. Then is commonly used to express a sense of time or what comes next or used to be. However, things get a little trickier when we consider ­­how to abbreviate this sentence. All four of these uses are uses of then as an adverb. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Choosing Then or Than can be difficult since they are only a single letter apart and they sound pretty close to each other. Although you’ll often be able to get your point across just fine with than me, be aware that for attentive readers and listeners, it can introduce ambiguity: does he like bagels more than I like bagels? The decision was made by then chairman Bill Gates. This article has been viewed 3,685,607 times. Than is comparison, while then is sequence, in time. Re-read your sentence to be sure. Then can function as an adjective, adverb, or noun. The use of then as an adjective is much more limited. Enter your email for word fun in your inbox every day. Is "I need you more now than ever" correct? "The practice and pronunciation were added bonuses! The simplest mnemonic is that "then" is a time word equivalent to "when," so they are both spelled with an "e.". Another pair of words that I see misused far more often than not is than and then. To learn helpful tricks for remembering the difference between than and then, keep reading! ", "This was awesome and easy to understand.". Re-read your sentence to be sure. If the weather is bad, then my flight will get canceled. Which is the correct usage in the phrase, "other than this"? Than has an a sound as in the word cat or tap. ", That's correct, just add a comma before "then.". After reading this post, you shouldn’t have any trouble when choosing than or then. Or does he like bagels more than he likes me? This article received 13 testimonials and 82% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. No matter what you are comparing, whether it be time, money, speed, if a comparison is taking place, than is the correct word choice. THEN or THAN – When to Use Then and Than. Is this sentence correct: "Great, then I will go ahead with the booking.". Than is used to make comparisons. (Wrong). Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0 Manslaughter vs. The fact that they’re so common means that they’re also commonly misused! Then and than are homophones that sound alike but have different meanings. To avoid confusion, your best bet is to use than I (or than he, than she, than we, than they) in formal and professional settings, and reserve than me (along with than her, than him, than us, than them) for informal speech. The first phrase is the accurate one -- than. What’s The Difference Between Atheism And Agnosticism? If so, why does the test in rule 4 say I should use "then"? Boost your career: Improve your Zoom skills. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. I feel more educated as a reader, as, "I have never heard the "in comparison to" trick before. ", "It is very creative and helpful in all aspects. ", "Perfect link for my English video course. In this construction, the reader is able to effectively and accurately finish the sentence in his or her mind, “more than I like bagels.”. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Take a look at this example: Carlos is taller than his brother. You couldn't have explained better. English has a lot of confusing words, especially those words that look alike and sound alike. The best way to remember the difference between the two is to associate then with time and order and than with any form of comparison. Glamor or Glamour – What’s the Difference? Thank you very much! Then The word then usually relates to time. These two words are very close in their appearance, but than vs. then have very different uses. If there is heavy traffic, then I might be late. ", "Very easy article for anyone to understand. Then can function as an adjective, adverb, or noun. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. Another possible mnemonic aid is that "then" and "time" both have the letter "e" but not the letter "a," and "than" and "comparison" both have the letter "a," but not the letter "e.". Pay attention to grammar check. Go to the traffic lights, then turn right. This means that sentences such as Jack is taller than Jill should be construed as an elliptical version of the sentence Jack is taller than Jill is. She can run faster than I can. ", "Thanks for helping me understand the difference between than & then! Support wikiHow by Some examples are trickier than others, but you can learn to distinguish between these two terms. Do you say I will call you no later than 7 pm or then 7 pm? Next in time, space, or order; immediately afterward. THEN Definition and Examples Or, you can just dive into the grammar rabbit hole and see all our topics here. In other words, the pronoun that follows than is determined by whether it serves as the subject or object of the verb “understood.”. Redefine your inbox with Dictionary.com updates! A good trick to keep track of these words is that then is usually used to indicate time. ", "I was happy to see the clarifying instructions followed by the many examples. It is most often seen with comparatives and words like "more," "less," and "fewer." However, in I drove to the bank and then went to the store the word then can be substituted by subsequently, to name one example. You could also say something like, “The historian wrote about the, For example, if it feels like your alarm goes off right after you fall asleep, you may say, “No sooner did I lay my head down, For example, it wouldn’t work to say “Jessica arrived later subsequently Joe.” Even though you're talking about time, in this context you're still comparing who was later. But if you were explaining which fruit you bought first, you would say "I bought oranges and then I bought apples." It’s also used in if … then constructions such as, “If you wake late, then you might have to skip breakfast.”

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