by Laura Jones
Updated on January 9, 2024
What’s the difference between “than” and “then”?
The English language is undoubtedly made much more complicated by the large number of words that look and sound very similar, such as “through” and “though”, “accept” and “except”, “lose” and “loose” or “who” and “whom”. The words “then” and “than” are one of those bothersome pairs. Knowing when to use “then” and “than” can be confusing when you begin learning English as a second language. So here is our handy guide to when to use “then” and “than” and identifying the differences between the two. We’ll also give you a few of examples of “then” vs “than” in sentences to demonstrate how native English speakers use these words.
“Then” is an adverb which is used to indicate the time that you are referring to in a sentence and can often stand in for the phrase “at that time”.
For instance, if I were talking about something that happened in the past I might say:
“Then” indicates that Jack was only a baby “at the time” of the holiday. Similarly:
You can also use “then” to indicate that something will occur in the future:
You can also use “then” to indicate that something will happen only as a consequence of something else happening:
“Then” is also often used repeatedly to indicate a sequence of events:
In the continuous present you might say:
“Then” can also occasionally be used as a modal particle, which doesn’t add any meaning but softens the language. When speaking to a child you might ask: “And what’s your name then?”. “Then” and “and” add no meaning but they make the sentence more gentle and child-friendly.
“Than” is a conjunction (i.e. a word that connects clauses or sentences, or coordinates words in the same clause) or a preposition that is used in order to draw comparisons between people or things. For example:
Hopefully, you now have a good idea of when to use “then” and “than”, and are ready to start writing your own practice sentences. If you can keep in mind that “then” is normally used to indicate time and “than” is always used for drawing a comparison, it will be plain sailing for you and you won’t be at any risk of mixing up the two. With a small bit of practice and repetition, you will be using them completely naturally in no time!
