Than vs. Then: Another Lesson for the Kids

Than/then confusion is not just a problem for my sophomore English students.  I see an increasing number of educated adults make this mistake ALL THE TIME!  Whether it be in emails, blog posts, or status updates, people just can't seem to wrap their minds around the difference. Fear not, reader: By the time you have finished this post, you will no longer be one of the great offenders of this oft repeated mistake.

Image from Google Images

Oh, Denny's. You managed to correctly use an apostrophe to show possession, but blew it with the contraction for "there is."  But I digress...

 

Simply stated, than is used for comparison and then is used for everything else:

 

Kate is older than Lily.

In this case, than is being used to compare the ages of two people.

 

First we'll go to Target, then we'll hit Walmart if we still have time.

Here, then is being used to indicate that something will happen next, or afterward.

 

I wasn't ready to eat then, but I'm definitely hungry now!

Then is being used to indicate a certain point in time.

 

To figure out the total, take the base cost and then add tax.

Then is being used to show an addition of something, in this case the tax.

 

If you want dessert, then you'd better finish all of your dinner!

The classic if/then statement.

 

The crux of the lesson is that than is ONLY used for comparison.  If you remember that fact alone, you will never again be judged by those who sometimes cringe when they read your hastily typed Tweets - at least not for than/then confusion.