Ok, look. I try to be patient with things when I feel that they may be challenging. Like, I would never berate anyone for not knowing whether effect or affect is the right choice in a given sentence. But I draw the line at then/than! Come on my peoples!

Here is an example of its misuse I read just this morning:

So corrections are normal after a rally, but if we would see them slow down like we did in Dec, than the red line is more likely. 

If/Then

This one is easy. It is an if/then situation. If this happens, then A. But if this happens, then [at that point, on that occasion] B will happen.

Apples and Oranges

Than should be used when comparing something with another thing. Like Mary is taller than [when compared to, in comparison to] Susie.

Please!

Could we all get together on this? I mean, with all that is going on in our culture today, could we not please just use then/than properly? And while you are at it, periods go inside the quotation marks!

Categories: Fun, Punctuation

Tags: then or than