THEN or THAN... What's the difference?

There are tons of words in the English language

that are similar

but not the same

and I've been creating a whole lot of lessons

about them lately,

particularly some of the really confusing ones.

Now you can check out all of the ones I've already made

in that playlist right up there but today

we're going to focus on two words

that are often confused and misused.

Now I'm Emma from mmmEnglish and

if these two words confuse you,

then this lesson is for you

and even if you think that you know what they mean

and how to use them correctly,

it's worth just sticking around to check.

I'll explain how they're used in English,

how they're pronounced,

and of course we'll practise with a little quiz at the end

to make sure that everything you learned

during the lesson has stuck.

And remember that all of my lessons

have subtitles or captions

and you can turn them on by clicking that

settings button just down there.

And so many of my students, my amazing students

who are generous enough to share some of their time

for all of you,

they have been writing

subtitles in their own native languages

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on the mmmEnglish Channel so if you've got time

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write some of the captions in your own native language,

I would absolutely appreciate it.

And look, I know you've been watching my lessons

for a little while now so

if you haven't subscribed already,

I think it's time to do it.

To start this lesson,

I want to make something really clear.

Than and then are not the same words

even though they look similar and they sound

quite similar, they have different meanings and uses.

And I have to admit that these two words

had me fooled for a long time at school.

Through school, I was forever using the wrong word

and I was getting marked incorrect by my teachers

all the time. It took years for me to remember.

And part of the problem is that these words sound

quite similar. They both use the voiced th sound.

And we can hear a little difference in the vowel sound

when these words are stressed in a sentence

and sometimes they are.

The vowel sound.

And

The vowel sound.

But actually,

most of the time, these words are unstressed

and then

they sound really similar because both of those

vowels sounds reduce down to the schwa sound.

So it sounds like

Then we can't hear any difference at all.

Now the closest that I ever came to a rule for this was

than with an A is used for comparisons

and then with an E is used for time.

It helped me a little in the end so if you find it helpful

to try and remember that rule,

especially to use those words correctly in sentences,

then go ahead.

Now let's go a little deeper and I think we'll start with

than because there's only one basic definition

and use for than.

So than is a conjunction and we use it to make

comparisons.

So when we're highlighting the difference between

two separate things.

Notice that than is usually used with an adjective.

It's used to say that something is more or less

than something else.

Right?

Now another common comparison phrase

also uses than and that's rather than.

Rather is just another type of comparison.

It's like saying

I prefer to do one thing more than the other.

And with rather, you'll often see than.

Now finally, you'll also hear than used in

quite a few fixed expressions and common phrases.

So did you hear in all of those fixed expressions how

than was pronounced? It was reduced, it was short

and low in pitch. It's an unstressed word.

Right? So I want you to practise them out loud with me.

Nice!

Now of course, all of these phrases are used to make

comparisons too.

Now we're going to take a really, really quick break here

and while the ad is playing, I want you to write

a sentence in the comments using than.

Okay? In this context

in this structure.

So remember, you need to use a comparative adjective.

Then I'll be back to explain how to use then.

Then can be a little more complicated

than than

because there are a few different ways

that you can use it.

Then can be an adverb or an adjective

but you'll most commonly see it used as an adverb.

Now remember that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives

or other adverbs.

And at the start of this lesson, I said that then

is used with time expressions right?

So with time, you're using then as an adverb.

And it can mean something like

next in order or next in time or in place

but it can also mean soon afterwards.

So the action of finishing work came first

and next he went to meet his friends.

So we're talking about the order of things.

Now Sarah and Charlie were in the line,

they were the next people in the order of the line.

I was first, Sarah was second and Charlie was third.

Then could also mean at the specific time as well.

So at that time that we're talking about

I'll be at work.

So at that time in the past, back

at that moment in time that we're talking about

mobile phones didn't exist.

So yes, then is used with time expressions

but we also use it in other ways as well.

It can mean in addition or besides

and as a result

or in that case.

So as a result of not paying my bill,

I'll get charged a fee. So in the case

that I don't pay my bill, I'll get charged a fee.

So this is in addition to registering the business

you need to get a permit to operate.

Okay?

Now I mentioned that then is used as an adjective too.

Now this use is a little less common but you'll still see it

quite often and I wanted to include it today

so that you can completely understand the uses of then.

Then as an adjective describes something as

being that

or existing at that time.

So I'm describing the person who was my roommate

at that time, she's not my roommate now.

Okay she was my roommate at a time in the past.

So it's your turn now. Can you think of a sentence

where you can use then as an adjective?

I want you to write that sentence down in the comments

for me so I'm going to come down

and check out your sentences

in just a little while to make sure you're using it correctly.

But remember that we're always referring to something

that is different from the present.

You can't say

Right? Because he's still your brother now.

Now that's not going to change.

So it has to be a situation that was different in the past.

It's not like that now.

Now just like than, there are some common phrases

or fixed expressions that use then okay?

So have you heard any of those phrases before?

I want you to practise saying them

out loud with me now. Ready?

Did you hear how in most of those expressions then

is stressed? Said much more strongly than than

and the other fixed expressions.

Such tiny little insignificant words

but using them accurately

and this is especially important if you're taking IELTS

or TOEFL exams because these areas or these mistakes

become really obvious during your written exams, right?

Everyday language when you're speaking with people,

no one's really going to know

if you're using the wrong word

but it all comes out in your writing and if you need some

extra help with confusing words like this

then practising with a native teacher

can be really helpful because they're going notice

all of the little things that you can do to help improve

your accuracy, right?

And if you're not sure where to go to find a good one,

well you guys know that I recommend Lingoda.

I take Spanish classes online with Lingoda

but they also have an English program

with plenty of native teachers from the US and the UK.

The lessons are all in small groups so it's lots of fun

and it's really affordable so definitely take a look

if you think that's going to help.

So I promised you a little quiz to put

everything that we learnt into practice today, right?

Are you ready? Let's do it.

Well if you guessed then, you're absolutely right

because we're talking about the order

that they finished the race.

Now this is another situation showing the order

of things happening in time.

Did you guess than?

We're comparing the heat

to the heat inside an oven so it's really hot, right?

So here, we're missing an adjective, right?

An adjective to describe the noun boss.

So we need to use then as an adjective, right?

At the time she was working, he was her boss.

He was her then boss.

Easy one. It's a comparison right? So it has to be than.

As a result of the fact that we're trying to save money.

In that case,

well it's a good idea to eat at home, right?

So we use then.

So how did you go?

Do you feel a little bit more comfortable using

then and than now? Can you tell the difference?

I wish that I'd found a video like this to help me when

I was at school.

I can't believe that it's taken me so many years

to actually write a lesson about this.

I hope that you find it helpful.

And make sure you share it with a friend

if you think that they might find it useful too.

If you enjoy my lessons here at the mmmEnglish

Channel then please let me know by subscribing

to the channel just down there.

I make new lessons every week,

lessons just like this one and this one here.

I picked that one especially for you

so I'll see you in there.