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Writing3 min read

Then vs. Than: The Difference in One Minute

Than makes a comparison; then is about time or sequence. Here is the quick way to tell them apart, with examples.

Two rounded panels for a confusable word pair on a dark field, one marked with a small green check, suggesting picking the right word.

One letter apart, and they do completely different jobs. Mixing them up is one of the most common slips in fast writing, and it is one of the quickest to fix once you know the split.

Than = comparison

Use 'than' when you are comparing two things. Bigger than, sooner than, more than, rather than. If two things are being weighed against each other, it is 'than'.

Than

She is taller than her brother. I would rather walk than wait. This took longer than expected.

Then = time or sequence

Use 'then' for time, order, or 'if this, then that'. First one thing, then the next. It answers when.

Then

We ate, then we left. If it rains, then we'll stay in. Back then, things were different.

The trick

'Then' and 'time' both have an E; 'than' and 'compare' both have an A. Or simplest: if you are comparing, reach for 'than'; if you are talking about when something happens, reach for 'then'.

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The Grammar Checker catches then/than slips a spell-checker misses, and explains which one the sentence needs.

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