Then vs. Than: Pronunciation. Summary. Although you’ll often be able to get your point across just fine with than me, be aware that for attentive readers and listeners, it can introduce ambiguity: does he like bagels more than I like bagels? One action leading to another. It also introduces the rejected choice in expressions of preference. For example, you wake up in the morning and then have breakfast. B) The company has received more then 500 complaints about its meat products. Then refers to a specific point in time. Than is generally used to compare things, while then communicates time. Or, you can just dive into the grammar rabbit hole and see all our topics here. Then can function as an adjective, adverb, or noun. In this construction, the reader is able to effectively and accurately finish the sentence in his or her mind, “more than I like bagels.”. Than vs Then. Than can be used to introduce the second part of an unequal comparison or the rejected choice in expressions of preference. The word “then” is used as either an adverb or an adjective. Than vs. Then. THEN or THAN – When to Use Then and Than. Then is usually an adverb, but it can also be an adjective or a noun. Cause and effect. Run to the lake then jump in. She went to the mall then to the park. Then vs Than: How to Remember the Difference. Take your knowledge further with these articles on the difference between farther and further, affect and effect, or compliment and complement. Than vs. Then Quiz. The answer is than. Either means one and goes with or, neither means none and goes with nor. Than is used for comparison, and both than and comparison have the letter ‘a’ in their spellings. Then is used for time, and both then … Than is a preposition that is used to introduce a comparison. Decoding Trademark Symbols. Then can function as an adjective, adverb, or noun. Then and than sound similar but are slightly different. Than vs Then The English words than and then look and sound a lot alike, but they are completely different. When to use than vs then? More English Difficulties. We'll help you to understand the difference. Useful for English grammar, language arts, or ESL/EFL.It has an introduction, guided practice, and independent exercises with answers.Perfect for Fewer vs. Less - Then vs. Than lesson. Here’s one more example for you: if you paid attention, then you should have no problem handling these words in the future! conjunction or preposition to compare items and draw attention to differences Both than and comparison have a letter “A” in them. Views: 104. If you fail then … What Do ™ , ® , © , and ℠ Mean? Published Aug 20, 2020. The difference between then and than is that then is an adverb while than can be both a preposition as well as a conjunction. There is no other word that can fill the role of than. This is a worksheet/handout to teach Fewer vs. Less - Then vs. Than. Then and than are among the 100 most frequently used words in the English language. The English words than and then look and sound a lot alike, but they are completely different. Learn more about commonly confused word pairs, such as too and to or farther and further, in order to make your writing more effective and error-free. For example: Since they are spelled and pronounced almost identically, many people … Content Lead. Back then I danced all the time! When trying to determine whether you should use "than" or "then," remember that "than" makes a comparison, whereas "then" involves ordering events or items. Fortunately, their correct usages are relatively distinct. "Then" relates to time or means "in that case." Then and than are homophones that sound alike but have different meanings. Than or Then? The fact that they’re so common means that they’re also commonly misused! Than Vs Then. While many use these homophones interchangeably, they are not the same. She goes to the mall more than the park. Than introduces a comparison. Than is a conjunction meaning in comparison to. ← time. In this video, you’ll learn more about when to use "than" and "then" in American English. Than is a conjunction used in comparisons: Tom is smarter than Bill. How Did April 1 Become “April Fools’ Day”? Do you say I will call you no later than 7 pm or then 7 pm? However, in informal communication, than is often treated as a preposition, and the pronouns in the second element are in objective case (me, him, her, them): he likes bagels more than me. However, ‘than’ sounds more like a mixture of ‘th’ and ‘an’. Pat grabbed the cat that was fatter than … https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/when-to-use-then-and-than When to Use Than. Finally, than can mean “except” or “when.” Then functions as an adverb that modifies verbs and means at that time, at the same time, next in order of place or time, soon afterward, as a consequence, or in addition. grammar rabbit hole and see all our topics here. Than and then are homophones. Log in, Half a loaf is better than none and half a loaf is better than no bread. Than is a conjunction or preposition used to indicate comparison: he likes bagels more than I like bagels. What’s The Difference Between “Assure,” “Ensure,” And “Insure”? On the other hand, ‘then’ sounds like ‘th’ plus ‘en’ from the word ‘den’. The best way to remember the difference between the two is to associate then with time and order and than with any form of comparison. Then refers to a moment in time or puts things into an ordered sequence. Than is a conjunction used to introduce the second part of an unequal comparison. It is associated with comparatives and with words such as more, less, and fewer.Out of the two words, than is the most common. Then vs. than: Then with an e is always used as an adverb to describe a time or sequence of a thing in a sentence. Than vs. Then. A giant is taller than a dwarf. These two words are very close in their appearance, but than vs. then have very different uses. To avoid confusion, your best bet is to use than I (or than he, than she, than we, than they) in formal and professional settings, and reserve than me (along with than her, than him, than us, than them) for informal speech. Again, this is a comparison, so the answer is than. The best trick to remember the difference between than and then is to focus on the letters that are different – ‘a’ and ‘e’. ← comparison. Choosing Then or Than can be difficult since they are only a single letter apart and they sound pretty close to each other. Finally, than can mean “except” or “when.”. Let’s take a look at the differences between them. It is mostly used as an adverb, which is a word that modifies a noun, a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Would you say the company needs a good accountant more than (or then) ever? Traditionalists will argue that than is a conjunction, and that the pronoun in the subordinate clause should be in the subjective case (I, he, she, we, they): he likes bagels more than I. Then can be an adverb meaning in that case, in addition; or a noun meaning a moment, specific time. Than or Then Fifth Grade Vocabulary Worksheet Online reading & math for K-5 www.k5learning.com Complete each sentence with the word than or then. A) The company has received more than 500 complaints about its meat products. Difference between the two most common ways to … The Bottom Line. (then = beforehand, time-related) First I will buy some peanuts, then I will drink a soda. Then and than are homophones that sound alike but have different meanings. What is the difference between "than" and "then"? Will vs Present Progressive. The English language can be complicated and complex, inundated with several words that look the same, and even more that sound the same. The correct usage of these two words is an essential fact in English grammar practice. Than has an a sound as in the word cat or tap. Or does he like bagels more than he likes me? Redefine your inbox with Dictionary.com updates! Examples: Peanuts were more expensive then. Read the sentence, concentrating on keeping the vowel a sound the same in each word. Then means either ‘at that time’ or ‘what happened next’. For example: She was smarter than you. They are a set of homophones. It may also help to note that the word than doesn’t really have a one-word substitute; it’s one of a kind. Than is a grammatical particle analyzed as both a conjunction and a preposition in the English language. Hayley Milliman. If this distinction is harder than it should be, read this lesson and then try again. Take a look at this example: Carlos is taller than his brother. “Torturous” vs. “Tortuous”: What Is The Difference? Then is mainly an adverb, often used to situate actions in time. After being connected and compared it has given a meaning to the sentence. Than is a conjunction used most often in comparisons between two things. So we must say that “THAN” is a preposition that helps in combining and connecting parts of sentences. “Holistic” vs. “Wholistic”: Do You Know The Whole Difference? The words than and then are often confused because they have a similar spelling. Than is commonly used as a preposition or conjunction, whereas then is mainly used as an adverb or adjective. Then is commonly used to express a sense of time or what comes next or used to be. Then indicates time or consequence, as in the following examples: Bagels were cheaper back then. What Makes Holi The Most Colorful Event Of The Year? Than with an a, in contrast, is required to serve the function of a conjunction or preposition in a sentence. However, things get a little trickier when we consider ­­how to abbreviate this sentence. punctuation. Then indicates time or consequence, as in the following examples: You’ll also use then in if … then constructions. Conversely, than is positioned at the middle of the sentence, that links two elements of comparison. Then is used to indicate time, while than is usually used to indicate comparison. Usually, then is related to time. TAGS: grammar. Than vs. then. THEN On the other hand “THEN” is known as a timing word that means “at … If this distinction is harder than it should be, read this lesson and then try again. If this distinction is harder than it should be, read this lesson and then try again. It introduces a comparison and is associated with comparatives and with words such as more, less, and fewer. "Not either" equals neither. (then = afterwards, time-related) Is it He likes bagels more than I, or He likes bagels more than me? If grammar makes you tense, you’re not alone. "Than" is used to introduce a comparison. 1. Given this, it’s easy to get the different versions of words confused and not know which one is appropriate to use at which time. For example: I was fitter then. I’m not a dancer now, but I was when I was younger. Than and then, though often used interchangeably, have two very different meanings that should not be confused. If you pronounce them differently/correctly, you will perceive them differently. However, in I drove to the bank and then went to the store the word then can be substituted by subsequently, to name one example. Choosing the wrong word may mean that you don’t communicate your message clearly or correctly. Than is comparing the time of the phone call to 7 pm and cannot be substituted with another word. Fewer vs Less; Good vs Well; Loose vs Lose; Than vs Then For each of the following, choose the correct sentence. ‘Sara went to the station and then boarded a train to Paris’ cannot be written as ‘Sara went to the station and than boarded a train to Paris’. Two of the most troublesome such words are "then" and "than." (Here, "then" relates to a past time.) The English words than and then look and sound a lot alike, but they are completely different. A conjunction is a word that connects two clauses or coordinates words in the same clause. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The following are illustrative examples. Take the sentence: Take the sentence: The quiz was harder "than" I had expected. THEN vs THAN. Than is a conjunction that works as part of comparative phrases, but then is an adverb that specifies time, so no later than and no later then don’t mean the same thing. Grammar. It’s understandable that writers would confuse than and then in this phrase, since it deals with a point in time. Than. Than. ("Than" is used with a comparison.) Get Dictionary.com tips to keep words straight ... right in your inbox. How Young People Are Redefining “Transgender” And “Nonbinary”. Than vs Then. Then has an open e sound as in pet or let. Than vs. Then. Published: 19 May, 2019. These are two common and easy-to-switch words. What Is “Maundy Thursday,” And What Does “Maundy” Mean? 2. The most common definition for then is at that time. The position of ‘then’ is either at the beginning or at the end of the sentence. The two words then and than have a clear difference in their grammatical category and their usage. Like affect vs. effect and to vs. too, than vs. then cause a lot of confusion. “Hallowmas” vs. “All Saints’ Day”: What’s The Day After Halloween Actually Called? Take this quick test to see what you have learned. (One thing is for certain: we’re getting tired of bagels!). THEN Definition and Examples. Summary – Then vs Than. It’s also used in if … then constructions such as, “If you wake late, then you might have to skip breakfast.”. Talk About Poetry With These Introductory Poetic Terms, The Other Easter Eggs: Coded Messages And Hidden Treats. I poured a glass of juice and then sat down to eat. It is also used to denote a consequence or subsequence. Some examples are trickier than others, but you can learn to distinguish between these two terms. Than is used to form comparisons between two things. A) If Nadia takes your advice, then she’s sure to … There are a lot of confusing words in the English language that have similar sounds and spellings but very different meanings. Than vs. Then.