One of the most common mistakes in English is the confusion between the words than and then. Even native speakers sometimes mix them up, but they serve very different purposes in sentences. Understanding when to use than and when to use then is crucial for clear communication. In this article, we will explore the differences between these two words and provide examples to help you use them correctly.
Than is used for comparison. If you are comparing two things, you will likely use than. For example, you might say, “My car is faster than yours.” Here, than is used to compare the speed of two cars. Other examples include, “She is taller than her sister,” or “This book is more interesting than that one.” As you can see, than is always used when you want to show the relationship between two entities in terms of difference or inequality.
Then, on the other hand, is related to time and sequence. It is used when you want to indicate what happens next. For example, you might say, “I went to the store, and then I went home.” In this sentence, then indicates the order of events. Other examples include, “Finish your homework first, and then you can watch TV,” or “We will go to dinner then see a movie.” In these cases, then is used to show the sequence of actions.
To help you remember the difference, think of than as a word that compares. Both than and comparison have an “a” in them. Similarly, think of then as a word that denotes time, just as time and then both have an “e” in them.
Let us look at some common mistakes to avoid. Consider this sentence: “She is better then me at playing the piano.” This is incorrect because we are making a comparison, so than should be used instead of then. The correct sentence would be, “She is better than me at playing the piano.” Similarly, take the sentence, “Finish your homework first, and than you can watch TV.” This is incorrect because we are talking about the sequence of events. The correct sentence would be, “Finish your homework first, and then you can watch TV.”
Here are more examples to illustrate the correct usage of than and then:
1. He is smarter than his brother.
2. First, we will go to the park, then we will have a picnic.
3. It’s cheaper to buy groceries at the market than at the convenience store.
4. We finished our meeting early, and then went out for lunch.
5. She has more experience than anyone else on the team.
6. I’ll call you first, and then we can decide what to do.
Misusing than and then can make your writing confusing and sometimes even change the meaning of your sentence. For instance, if you write “I would rather eat pizza then salad,” it may sound like you want to eat pizza first and then eat salad. However, if you mean to compare your preference, you should say “I would rather eat pizza than salad.”
In spoken English, the difference between than and then can sometimes be less obvious because they can sound similar, especially in fast speech. However, in written English, the correct usage is essential for clear communication.
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