Did you know? Then and than sound close, but they perform different jobs.
Use than for comparison: “The second route is shorter than the first.” Use then mainly for time or sequence: “Finish the calculation, then check the units.”
Try this now: replace the missing word in “She was more careful ___ before” and “She checked the answer, ___ corrected the label.” The comparison needs than; the sequence needs then.
Choose the task you need
Identify the sentence job
| Word | Main job | Example |
|---|---|---|
| than | Introduces a comparison | This answer is clearer than the first. |
| then | Marks time or sequence | Read the graph, then write the trend. |
| then | Refers to that time | The class was smaller then. |
| then | Introduces a consequence in an if–then pattern | If the value doubles, then the total changes. |
The safest question is not “Which spelling looks familiar?” but “Is the sentence comparing, or is it locating an event in time or sequence?”
Use two quick replacement tests
Comparison test
If the sentence contrasts two people, objects, quantities or states, than is usually the right choice: “faster than,” “less than,” “rather than” and “different from” depending on the construction.
Sequence test
If the word can be replaced by “next,” “at that time” or “in that case,” then is usually correct: “We revised, then we tested,” or “If that is true, then explain why.”
These are meaning tests, not mechanical substitutions. Read the completed sentence aloud and confirm its grammatical job.
Handle patterns that cause mistakes
- “Better than before” compares two states.
- “Back then” refers to a past time.
- “No sooner … than” is a fixed comparative construction.
- “First identify the claim; then find the evidence” gives a sequence.
- “More important than speed is accuracy” compares priorities.
A child may pronounce both words similarly in rapid speech. Writing therefore needs a meaning check rather than a sound-only strategy.
Diagnose the actual error
| Observed response | Likely gap | Useful prompt |
|---|---|---|
| Uses then after “more” | Misses a comparison marker | What two things are being compared? |
| Uses than between actions | Misses sequence | Which action happens next? |
| Correct in a drill, wrong in composition | Recognition has not transferred | Can you label the sentence job while editing? |
| Changes every instance automatically | Uses a spelling rule without meaning | Read the full clause before changing it. |
Tuition can mark the comparison pair or sequence arrows directly on the child’s own sentence, then remove those prompts in a fresh paragraph.
Transfer the distinction into independent writing
- Circle the two compared items before using than.
- Number actions when then shows order.
- Check one paragraph after drafting instead of interrupting every sentence.
- Keep a personal correction pair with one original example of each word.
- Return to the sentence a day later and explain the choice without a hint.
A strong editing comment is short: “Than compares; then places events in time or sequence.” The goal is not merely correct spelling today, but a test the child can reuse tomorrow.
Current pathway note, checked 12 October 2026: Posting Groups 1, 2 and 3 support admission to secondary schools; they are not subject levels. Individual secondary subjects may be taken at G1, G2 or G3 according to the student’s programme and the subject available. See MOE’s Full Subject-Based Banding overview. The Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) begins in 2027. The applicable syllabus depends on the subject, level, examination year and candidate type; not every subject is available at every level.
A calm next step
If the correct word appears in exercises but disappears during independent writing, bring the full sentence rather than an isolated blank. The useful diagnosis is whether the gap concerns meaning, grammar, proofreading or attention under writing load.
eduKateSG’s verified 3-pax positioning allows close attention to the exact step where an answer begins to drift. There is no grade guarantee; the useful question is whether the teaching response matches the learner’s observed error.
Ask eduKateSG about a 3-pax learning conversation. Bring one recent piece of work so the discussion can begin with evidence.
Sources and checking notes
- Merriam-Webster, Then vs. Than
- MOE, Full Subject-Based Banding
- SEAB, Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate
Teaching examples and diagnostic routines in this guide are original eduKateSG illustrations. Policy links and supporting sources were checked on 12 October 2026.