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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.