Tell it apart
| Aspect | Then | Than |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Time, sequence or consequence | Comparison |
| Usually follows | A comma, 'and', 'back', 'since', 'until' | A comparative: more, less, better, rather, other |
| Example | 'We ate, then went for a walk.' | 'Walking is slower than cycling.' |
| Phrase to watch | 'If … then …' | 'No later than', 'rather than' |
Then places things in time or order ('then we left'); than introduces the second half of a comparison ('taller than', 'rather than', 'more than'). The two were originally the same word in Old English, which explains the confusion, but in modern English they never swap.
What it really means
Then and than are separated by a single vowel and, in quick speech, by almost nothing at all. That's why "more then ever" and "rather then" turn up so often in emails. The meanings, though, don't overlap.
Then is a word about time. It can point to a moment ("I was living in Leeds then"), mark the next step ("warm the pan, then add the oil") or announce a consequence ("if you're tired, then rest"). Than has one job: it links the two sides of a comparison. Whenever you see more, less, fewer, better, worse, rather, other or any -er adjective, the word that follows is almost certainly than.
The confusion has deep roots. In Old English the two were forms of the same word, and the spellings only settled into separate jobs later. Modern English keeps them firmly apart, and a reader will notice a then where a comparison should be.
There's one more argument people have about than: "taller than I" or "taller than me"? Traditional grammar prefers than I (short for "than I am"), while everyday English usually says than me. Both are common; than I is the safer choice in formal writing.
Memory trick. Then rhymes with when, and both answer a question about time. Than and compare share an a. If you're comparing, pick the a.
In real life
- Right: Back then, phones had cords. (at that time)
- Right: This is better than I expected. (comparison)
- Wrong: I'd rather walk then drive. (a preference is a comparison, so it's 'rather than')
Questions
Q01What is the difference between then and than?
Then is about time or order: 'first this, then that'. Than is about comparison: 'bigger than', 'more than', 'rather than'. If you're comparing two things, use than.
Q02Is it 'better then' or 'better than'?
Better than. 'Better' is a comparison, and comparisons take than. 'Better then' only works in a sentence about time: 'Things were better then.'
Q03Why do people mix up then and than?
They sound almost identical in fast speech, and historically they were one word. Oxford Learner's Dictionaries notes that than was originally the same word as then; English later split the spelling and the jobs.
Sources
- "Then" vs. "Than": What's The Difference? — Dictionary.com.
- than (preposition, conjunction), with word origin — Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- Then — Cambridge Dictionary, English Grammar Today.