Than vs Then
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THAN VS THEN
If it were not for us, then who would have guided you? Is this sentence correct? Or should we use than? Umm.. Not Sure!
Is this what you do most of the time when correcting your grammar? Well, keep on reading and you won’t have to double check your writing again, well at least not for grammar any way.
We will first highlight some prominent uses of the word THEN.
THEN:
1. When we talk about the word THEN, we are referring to a time or a specific outcome of anything.
FOR EXAMPLE:
An Outcome Means: If you reach early, then you will be able to catch the train.
This simple sentence elaborates the use of “Then” by using it as a specific result of something.
2. Now, this is its first use. The second use of THEN refers to, a specific period or time.
FOR EXAMPLE:
In Time Means: I will probably be ready by then.
Now this phrase clearly elaborates you are talking about when you will be ready in terms of time and does not refer to any outcome or result. You may also note here that the first use of the word THEN was similar to the use of it in the second example, as it refers to any work that you will be able to do “by that time”.
3. Now we can stop here, but there is one more additional use of THEN. That being, when you are talking about a sequential event e.g. one after the other, you use then.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Next event Means: First I will collect my laundry, and then I will go to buy groceries.
This is also similar to the use of THEN in time but slightly different as it refers to an event occurring in sequence to the first one.
THAN:
As it has only one use, use of the other word THAN is easy to remember. THAN is used only to show the comparison between two things, whether in time or anywhere else. The word THAN being a conjunction is only used to indicate the contrast between two events or a noun.
FOR EXAMPLE:
1. He is better than before.
2. The quality of this chandelier looks better than the previous one.
3. I found more roses than dandelions in the garden.
Now you may also just take on a shortcut of only memorizing the use of THAN as every other word used other than this would be a THEN. You can also try pronouncing either one differently as one actually does have a different tone to it than the other.
We hope this than vs then guide was of some use to you and that by now you are able to tell which THEN/THAN to use and if not, well… big deal, people aren’t always checking your grammar.
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