“Better then” or “better than”: which is correct?
better than
The short answer
The correct word to use in comparisons is than. Then is used to indicate time or sequence of events.
Why people get it wrong
People often confuse then and than because they are homophones in some dialects and are close in spelling, leading to confusion in writing.
What kind of mistake it is
It is a grammatical error involving the misuse of the word then instead of than in comparisons.
Examples with better than
- She is better than him at playing the piano.
- I’d rather have tea than coffee.
- He ran faster than his brother.
Quick check
She is him at playing the piano.
The correct word to use in comparisons is than. Then is used to indicate time or sequence of events.
Spotted a mistake in this article? Tell us