THEN or THAN (check, city, people, words)

[tidaldream]

We have melded and abbreviated so many words that we've forgotten which witch is which?

IE: same sounding words :a pair of pears (pair=a set, two of the same....pear, the fruit)


The one I see the most problematic for people

is the confusion between "THEN" and "THAN"

SO HERE"S A SIMPLE PRIMER:

Then is used to express a sense of time or what comes next.
examples; First comes love, then comes marriage
directions; Go straight for two blocks, then take a left.

Than is used to form comparisons between two things.
A drum sounds louder than a harmonica
Your scoop of ice cream is sweeter than my slice of lemon

Hope this makes sense.

[toosie]

Check out: http://www.city-data.com/forum/writing/