Ask WordMum: Then vs Than
Ask WordMum series continues! Then and than got you in a tangle, here are some helpful tricks to smooth things out.
Our Question
What’s the difference between then and than, and when do I use them?
WordMum Says
These two often get mixed up, as they sound similar and differ only by one letter. Let’s try to untangle how, and when, to use them.
Then = time advancement (adverb)
This word is always about time. An easy way to remember it is that it always means a sEquence: E=then.
When you use it, it is often in the form: something happened, then something else happened. You might break it up into different sentences and structures, but it is always ultimately that meaning. Then can imply a causal relationship between the two events, or they can simply be a sequence of events with no other link between them. The one constant is the offset in time.
Then is used in some tools for autistic children to help them learn sequences in a First, Then format. So, a child may learn First Underwear, Then Pants.
An alternate form for it will be familiar to those who work with code, and that is: condition, then consequence, as in an if-then statement. If something is true, then this happens. Unlike the usage above, this means a causal or tightly linked relationship between the two things.
However, this phrasing is shifting because then is expected after if and it’s therefore redundant. If you say: “If something is true, this happens,” then is implied and removing it tightens the sentence. Good practice in professional writing is to omit then in these cases. So for sharper sentences, leave it out where it makes sense.
Than = comparison (conjunction, preposition)
This word compares things, often with a judgement. An easy way to remember it is always a compArison: A=than. For example, I would rather take a walk than go cycling is comparing walking and cycling, and expressing a judgement. It’s commonly paired with rather when making a judgement or stating a preference.
Similarly, more than and less than are also comparisons between two or more things to make some kind of judgement or choice. You don’t even need to name a specific thing; you can want a clear example more than anything, but you don’t need to specify what that anything is.
Than can also be an exception or exclusion. Wanting something other than what came before is still a comparison between two (or more) things.
Example Time!
He waited until the road cleared, then crossed.
This one is sequential, possibly causal, and definitely time-based in nature. That means we use then.
If we tried to use than, it wouldn’t make sense because it would be trying to compare crossing the road with waiting until the road clears. However, there’s not enough information in the sentence to make that meaningful. It would need to be reworded to imply some kind of judgement about the options: He would rather wait until the road cleared than cross quickly.
She wanted to sneeze and used a tissue rather than spraying it all over the room.
This uses than because it’s a choice between two things. Thankfully, she chose the considerate option!
If we use then here, it means she did, in fact, spray the room: she used a tissue then sprayed it all over the room. Note that this has to be reworded to make it make sense; these words are not directly interchangeable even if you do want to change the meaning. Rather doesn’t pair with then in the same way it does with than.
There was no choice other than the path before them.
This one doesn’t strictly compare two (or more) things because it explicitly states there is no second choice available. However, because it is referring to a potential or impossible comparison, we use than.
Similar to rather, other doesn’t pair with then either. So it’s never other then. There’s also no sequence implied here, so we don’t use then.
So, what did you mean, then?
This one is technically a sequence, though it can be tricky to spot from this sentence. It requires a bit of rewording to get it back to a clearer sequential form. It’s actually an if-then statement without the if phrase: if you didn’t mean that, then what did you mean? Colloquial speech can move then to the end of the sentence, so this construction can appear in dialogue, but it’s less common in formal writing or prose.
We don’t use than here because there’s no comparison between things.
Do you want pizza rather than pasta?
This is the kind of question you’re more likely to see than in because it’s closed. It asks for a comparison and judgement between two things, so it’s asking for a simple yes or no answer (or the name of the preferred thing). Open questions like the one directly above it here seldom include a comparison phrased that way, so you’re less likely to find than being used there.
(If you’re not sure what I’m referring to here: closed questions ask for a response from a limited set of answers, while open questions invite the person to give longer, more involved answers without assuming what they might be. In a survey, radio buttons and opinion scales are closed questions, while text fields (where you can type anything in) are open questions.)
Whether the respondent answers the question as it was asked or expresses a preference for cake instead is beyond the scope of the question’s phrasing!
Does that help you know which word to use? Then off you go and use them wisely! Rather than incorrectly.
If you have any other scenarios or examples you need clarified, just ask! Drop it into a comment here or on the Discord server. I’d also love to hear if you have different strategies to help you find the right word to use.
Got something you want to have clarified? Then go ask WordMum! Watch this space for our next entry in the series.