Words at Play : Top 10 Commonly Confused Words, Vol. 2

#5: Than/Then

Question:

Is this room hotter than or then a sauna?

Answer:

than

How to remember it:

Use then only when you're talking about sequences and time, e.g., "First we'll go here, then we'll go there."

When you're comparing things, as in the example above, use than. (If it helps, consider that than, like compare, has an "a.")

For more information, please see our "Ask the Editor" video.

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