If I Eat More Than You, Then I Will Be Fat.
I have been asked to explain the difference between the words then and than. Really, I have never understood the confusion between the two, as they bear no resemblance to one another, not even in pronunciation. But I, too, have seen a disconcerting number of cases where the two have been confused. So, an explanation.
Then is a word marking the passage of time. It can indicate past time, as in We knew how to handle unruly children then. Or it can indicate future time, as in You’re getting married soon; maybe then you will understand. Then can also indicate a conditional outcome: If you don’t stop that, then the dog will bite you.
Than is a comparative word and is always used thus: Mike is taller than Sam, but Sam gets better grades than Mike.
Remember that than is invariably comparative, and ask yourself “Am I comparing two things or am I talking about a point in time?” If you use this memory tool, then you will not misuse these two words.