en English es español fr française it italiano de deutsche ja 日本語 pl polski cs česky sv svenska tr Türkçe nl Nederlands

Why "better then" isn’t better: understanding the common mistake

Reviewed and edited by Anwar Kareem 06/10/2024, 20:28
English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

Better then or better than. What's correct?

It is a grammatical error involving the misuse of the word "then" instead of "than" in comparisons.

Why do people make this mistake?

People often confuse "then" and "than" because they are homophones in some dialects and are close in spelling, leading to confusion in writing.

What is correct?

The correct word to use in comparisons is "than". "Then" is used to indicate time or sequence of events.

Examples of correct usage

  • She is better than him at playing the piano.
  • I'd rather have tea than coffee.
  • He ran faster than his brother.

Recommended posts in Grammar

Debunking "comprised solely of": why this phrase doesn't add up

Debunking "comprised solely of": why this phrase doesn't add up

People often use "comprised of" thinking it is synonymous with ... Learn more →

"Basterd": the typo that thinks it’s edgy

"Basterd": the typo that thinks it’s edgy

People often misspell "bastard" as "basterd" because they spell the ... Learn more →

Why "temporary closed" is incorrect and what to use instead

Why "temporary closed" is incorrect and what to use instead

People may confuse the adjective "temporary" with the adverb "temporarily". ... Learn more →

Mind the gap: why "be ware" isn't right

Mind the gap: why "be ware" isn't right

The phrase "be ware" is an incorrect attempt to spell ... Learn more →