How to Use Than and Then

People often misuse the words than and then. It’s a common mistake, in part because the words are pronounced similarly or in some cases because you simply don't know the difference. However, it is important to know in which situations you would use each word, especially for academic or business writing. As a general rule, use than to indicate comparison and then to indicate time. Practice both usage and pronunciation, and then you'll be using these words better than anyone you know.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Determining When to Use Then

  1. Image titled Use Than and Then Step 1
    1
    Remember that then is a word that indicates time or sequence. In all of its uses, then is used when you want to talk about a point in time or sequence of events. If someone is asking when something happened, then is the appropriate word for your response.[1]
    • For example, if your teacher asks you where you were at noon yesterday, you could respond, “I was at lunch then.”
    • If someone asks when something will be ready, you could let them know to, “Come back tomorrow afternoon. I will have everything ready by then.”
    EXPERT TIP
    Christopher Taylor, PhD

    Christopher Taylor, PhD

    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor

    Christopher Taylor, Adjunct Assistant Professor of English, notes: "Than" is generally used to compare two things (e.g., bigger than a quarter), whereas "then" helps you establish a sequence of events (e.g., first this, then that)."

  2. Image titled Use Than and Then Step 2
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    Connect a series of events using then. Another common use for then is to indicate sequential items. Use then to tell someone what comes next in time, space, or order. Some examples of these uses include:[2]
    • We are going to leave at 9, and then we stop for lunch around 11.
    • First, you line up part A and part B. Then, you screw them together.
    • The inner planets go Mercury, Venus, Earth, and then Mars.
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  3. Image titled Use Than and Then Step 3
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    Add additional or conditional information using then. Then can also be used to mean "in addition," "moreover," or "in that case." Use then when you need to add additional information to your sentence, or to modify outcomes based on conditions.[3]
    • If you’re adding additional information you might say, “The dinner costs $20, and then you have to add the tip.”
    • To express conditional information you may say, “If the weather is good, then we will go to the beach tomorrow.”
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    Use then when you are indicating something that was true at one time. In some special cases, then can be used as an adjective to indicate something that was true at the time, even if it isn't so anymore. You may hear then used this way often with people like politicians who once held a position, but no longer do.[4]
    • For example, “That program was instituted in 2010 by then President Barack Obama.”
    • This use isn’t limited to just people, though. You could also say something like, “The historian wrote about the then thriving state of Rome.”
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Establishing When to Use Than

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    Use than as a conjunction in comparative contexts. A conjunction is a word used to connect 2 parts of a sentence. When you are talking about a noun (thing, person, place or concept) in relation to another noun, use than to introduce the second part of your comparison. Than is usually preceded by comparative words like better, worse, more, less, higher, lower, smaller, larger, etc. For example:
    • There are more onions than scallions in your fridge.
    • I can run faster now than I could last year.
    • I like cloudy weather more than I like the sun.
  2. Image titled Use Than and Then Step 6
    2
    Indicate a correlation between 2 events with than. Than can also be used with past tense verbs and some adverbial expressions. Adverbial expressions are multi-word expressions that function to modify or qualify a verb. In these cases, than is being used to indicate that one thing correlated with another.[5]
    • For example, if it feels like your alarm goes off right after you fall asleep, you may say, “No sooner did I lay my head down than my clock started to ring.”
    • This usage may seem similar to how then may be used sometimes, which can be confusing. The difference is that then would be used if there was a sequence, but than is not describing a sequence in this instance. It is showing correlation or relationship between 2 things, such as laying down your head and your alarm clock going off.
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    3
    Use than when you can't find a synonym for what you're saying. If you’re trying to decide between than and then, try substituting the word. Than is a unique word with no synonyms. Then, however, can be substituted for works like “subsequently,” “next,” or “later."[6]
    • For example, it wouldn’t work to say “Jessica arrived later subsequently Joe.” Even though you're talking about time, in this context you're still comparing who was later. That is why this sentence needs to be, “Jessica arrived later than Joe.”
    • However, it does make sense to say, “First and need to shower and next I have to catch the bus.” In this context, “next” can be substituted for then.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Practicing Using Then and Than

  1. Image titled Use Than and Then Step 8
    1
    Test your usage. If you’re ever confused when you’re writing, test each word to see if it makes sense in the context of your sentence. Try asking yourself these questions as you write to find the correct word:[7]
    • If I write the word "next" instead of "then," will the sentence still make sense?
      • "I will go to the store next" makes sense, so here we would say "I will go to the store then."
    • If I write the phrase "in comparison to" instead of the word "than," will the sentence still make sense?
      • "A used car costs less in comparison to a new car" makes sense, so you'd want to say "It costs less than a new car."
  2. Image titled Use Than and Then Step 9
    2
    Practice writing with then and than frequently. The best way to get used to the different uses of then and than is to use them in context. Try writing a brief comparative essay to help you get used to than. Then, try writing out a set of instructions to practice your use of then. [8]
    • Pay attention to your use of then and than in your everyday writing, too. Set aside a few extra minutes to proofread your essays, letters, school work, and documents so that you can check for the correct usage.
    • You can even look for then and than quizzes and exercises online to help you test your usage.[9]
  3. Image titled Use Than and Then Step 10
    3
    Pronounce the words differently. Phonetically speaking, native speakers of English use the schwa (ǝ, kind of like a soft "eh" sound) because it's more efficient in daily conversations. Consequently, lots of "a"s and "e"s are not pronounced distinctly. However, taking the time to pronounce the words distinctly can help reinforce their use in your mind.[10]
    • Try saying than with your mouth opened wide and the tongue pressed down toward your teeth. The vowel sounds from the back of the mouth and the throat is somewhat constricted.
    • Say then with your mouth partially opened. The vowel rises from a relaxed throat and the tongue rests.
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Expert Q&A
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  • Question
    What's the difference between the words "than" and "then"?
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
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    "Then" is generally an adverb, while "than" is used as a conjunction. See the other questions (or the article) for examples of those differences.
  • Question
    How do you use the word "then" in a sentence?
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Expert Answer

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    You could say, "First I will eat pizza, then I will eat tacos." "Then" serves as a marker of time here.
  • Question
    When would you use "than" in a sentence?
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    You could say "I like pizza more than I like tacos." "Than" serves as a comparison here.
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References

  1. ↑ http://grammarist.com/usage/than-then/
  2. ↑ https://writingexplained.org/then-vs-than-difference
  3. ↑ https://writingexplained.org/then-vs-than-difference
  4. ↑ https://writingexplained.org/then-vs-than-difference
  5. ↑ https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2017/06/12/than-or-then-confusables/
  6. ↑ http://grammarist.com/usage/than-then/
  7. ↑ http://grammarist.com/usage/than-then/
  8. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/when-to-use-then-and-than
  9. ↑ https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/exercises/ThenThanExercise5.aspx
  1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6PYKm_UCNo

About This Article

Christopher Taylor, PhD
Co-authored by:
Christopher Taylor, PhD
English Professor
This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD. Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. This article has been viewed 3,704,477 times.
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Co-authors: 60
Updated: May 23, 2020
Views: 3,704,477
Categories: Featured Articles | Spelling | Correct Usage of Words
Article SummaryX

To use the words than and then properly, remember that than is used when comparing things and then is used to indicate time. For example, if you were comparing how many oranges and apples you have, you would say "I have more oranges than apples." But if you were explaining which fruit you bought first, you would say "I bought oranges and then I bought apples." To learn helpful tricks for remembering the difference between than and then, keep reading!

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