Use than for comparisons (faster than, more than, better than). Use then for time and sequence (first this, then that; back then).
The Core Difference
“Than” has exactly one job: it introduces the second part of a comparison. Whenever you compare two things — sizes, qualities, amounts — “than” is the word that connects them: bigger than, more expensive than, rather than.
“Then” relates to time. It can mean “next” in a sequence of events (“we ate, then we left”), “at that time” (“back then, phones were rare”), or introduce a logical consequence (“if it rains, then we'll stay inside”).
- comparison → than: taller than, rather than, more than expected
- time / sequence → then: we cooked, then ate; back then; if…then…
Then and Than in Context
This exercise is harder than the last one.
She would rather walk than drive.
We finished the project, and then we celebrated.
Life was simpler back then.
If you finish early, then you can leave, but only if you scored higher than 80%.
Common Mistakes
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ✗ bigger then me | ✓ bigger than me | comparison needs “than” |
| ✗ we ate, than we left | ✓ we ate, then we left | sequence needs “then” |
| ✗ more then I expected | ✓ more than I expected | comparison |
| ✗ back than, it was rare | ✓ back then, it was rare | time reference |
| ✗ rather then wait | ✓ rather than wait | comparison |
Comparison = than (both have A). Than and comparison both contain the letter A — a handy link.
Sequence = then (both have E). Then and next / when both contain E, and “then” is about time, like “when”.
Related Questions
- Then vs Than — full confusing-words comparison page with additional examples and exercises.
- All Confusing Words — browse all 300+ word-pair guides.
- All Questions — more quick-answer pages.
- Grammar Quiz — test your knowledge of confusing word pairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the simplest rule for then vs than?
Than is for comparisons (bigger than, more than); then is for time and sequence (first this, then that). If you are comparing two things, use “than”. If you are talking about when something happens or happened, use “then”.
How do I remember which spelling goes with comparisons?
Link the A in “than” to the A in “comparison” — both words share that letter. So whenever you are comparing (X is better/bigger/faster than Y), reach for the A-spelling: than.
Is rather than always followed by than?
Yes — “rather than” is a fixed comparative phrase and always uses “than”, never “then”: “I'd rather walk than drive”, “she chose tea rather than coffee”. Writing “rather then” is a very common but incorrect error.
Can then start a sentence?
Yes. “Then” commonly opens a sentence to show what happens next in a sequence: “We checked in. Then we found our seats. Then the flight was delayed.” This use is especially common in narratives and instructions.
Is if...then always required together?
Not always required, but “then” often appears in conditional sentences to make the consequence explicit: “If it rains, then we'll stay inside.” The “then” can be dropped without changing meaning (“If it rains, we'll stay inside”), but including it emphasises the cause-and-effect link.
Why do people confuse then and than so often?
The two words look almost identical (only one vowel differs) and are pronounced very similarly in fast, casual speech, especially in American English where the vowel sounds can blur together. Because the difference is subtle in speech, many writers simply default to the more frequent word, “then”, even in comparisons.
Is more than or more then correct before a number?
“More than” is correct before a number because it is a comparison: “more than 100 people attended” compares the attendance to the number 100. “More then” is always incorrect in this context.
Does back then use than or then?
“Back then” always uses “then” because it refers to a point in the past (a time reference), not a comparison: “Life was different back then.”
Is than ever used outside comparisons?
Very rarely — “than” is almost exclusively a comparative word in modern English. A few fixed expressions like “no sooner had he arrived than the phone rang” use “than” to link a time-based comparison, but these are uncommon and largely literary.
Do spell-checkers catch then/than mistakes?
Basic spell-checkers do not, because both “then” and “than” are correctly spelled real words. Grammar-aware tools may flag likely errors based on sentence context, but the safest method is to apply the comparison-versus-time test yourself while proofreading.