Then vs. Than
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This video clears up the confusion between then and than once and for all. It explains when to use each one (one for time, one for comparison) and how to remember which one is which.
| AP English Language and Composition | Grammar, Syntax, and Conventions of Written English |
| English I EOC Assessment | Correct Spelling |
| Grammar & Punctuation | Grammar |
| Grammar, Syntax, and Conventions of Written English | Grammatical and Syntactical Features |
| Language | English Language |
| Spelling | Correct Spelling |
Transcript
versus “than” grammar rule. “Then” with an “e” is an element of
time, and means “next” or “at the time”.
For example, maybe you have English first thing Monday morning, then geometry, and then
lunch.
When you get home from school, maybe you do a little homework...
...then play a video game, then eat dinner. “Than” with an “a” is what you use
when you want to make a comparison.
You might say, “Apple pie with vanilla ice cream is better than plain apple pie.”
Duh, talk about your obvious statements.
Or, you might say, “Grandma Meredith is even more frightening than a boa constrictor.”
Yeah, she scares us, too. If you're looking for a trick to remember
the difference between “then” with an “e” and “than” with an “a”...
...recall that there's an “e” in “then” and an “e” in “time”...
...so the two go together...
...and that there's an “a” in “than” and an “a” in “comparison”...
...so those two go together. Now Josh just needs to figure out when on
Saturday night to pencil in a make-out session with Leslie.
Of course, Leslie may have her own plans…