Than or Then?

“Than” and “then” are very easy to mix up. They sound rather similar and people can easily become confused when writing the two words. With the aid of the picture, let’s find out why these two words are different, and how to use them correctly.

Than

“Than” is used to show comparison. That is all it’s ever used for.

John was better for her than a vampire was.

She is more beautiful than her sister.

Rather than watching the movie, I will read the book.

He said he would rather drink blood than water.

Then

This word is most commonly seen being used with “and” to form a sentence. For example, “… and then this happened”. But, at the end of the day, ] the “and” is not always necessary. It shows time or sequence.

First I liked vampires, but then I started to like werewolves.

I read the book and then watched the movie.

He drank the blood and then fell asleep.

The werewolf jumped over the fence, then transformed and ran away.

Just keep on practicing, and pronounce the two words properly when you speak. It will all help, and soon it will be normal for you to use the correct word. Send me a comment if you would like any other grammar points cleared up!