Than vs Then — Difference Explained for Kids | English1to5.com
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Than vs Then — What’s the Difference? | Confusing Words for Kids

Never confuse than and then again! Visual comparison, memory trick, Hindi explanation, practice & quiz.

Updated: June 5, 2026 · ⏱️ 10 min · Page 13/30 · ⭐⭐ Grade 3-4

🔵🟠 Compare💡 Trick🇮🇳 Hindi✏️ 10 Fill-Blanks❓ 8 Quiz

🔵🟠 Side-by-Side Comparison

than
Comparison: ‘taller than Priya,’ ‘better than yesterday’
then
Time/sequence: ‘first eat, then play’

💡 Trick to Remember

thAN = compArisoN (A for comparing). thEN = whEN / nExt (E for time/sequence).

🇮🇳 Why Indians Confuse These

Hindi: से (than) vs फिर/तब (then). Different words. English confuses because only ONE letter differs (a vs e).

📖 Example Sentences

🔵 than

  • Priya is taller than Aarav.
  • Mango is sweeter than apple.
  • I like cricket more than football.
  • This book is better than that one.
  • India is bigger than Sri Lanka.

🟠 then

  • First finish homework, then play.
  • We ate lunch, then went to the park.
  • If it rains, then we’ll stay home.
  • Mix the flour, then add water.
  • Aarav studied hard, then passed the exam.

📢 Read Aloud — Both Words!

  • Aarav knows: means one thing, then means another!
  • Priya used both correctly: here and then there.
  • The exam tested: “Choose or then for each blank.”
  • Remember the trick and never confuse and then again!

✏️ Fill in the Blank

1. Priya is smarter ___ Rahul.

💡 comparison

2. First eat, ___ play.

💡 after that

3. I like dosa more ___ idli.

💡 comparison

4. We watched TV, ___ slept.

💡 after that

5. Delhi is hotter ___ Shimla.

💡 comparison

6. Brush your teeth, ___ go to bed.

💡 next

7. This is better ___ yesterday.

💡 comparison

8. If you’re ready, ___ let’s go!

💡 in that case

9. Maths is harder ___ English.

💡 comparison

10. Cook the rice, ___ add the dal.

💡 after that

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ She is taller then me.
✅ She is taller than me.
💡 THAN=comparison (taller THAN)
❌ First eat, than play.
✅ First eat, then play.
💡 THEN=time/sequence (what happens next)
❌ I like this more then that.
✅ I like this more than that.
💡 THAN=comparing two things

❓ Quiz

1. than is:
2. then is:
3. Trick to remember:
4. These are called:
5. Hindi comparison:
6. Best practice:
7. Tested in exams?
8. To avoid errors:

🤓 Fun Facts

🤓 thAN has A for compArison. thEN has E for whEN (time)!
🤓 Than and then were actually the same word in Old English!

📋 Quick Summary — Screenshot This!

than = Comparison
then = Time/sequence

People Also Ask

Difference between than vs then?

than = Comparison: ‘taller than Priya,’ ‘better than yesterday’. then = Time/sequence: ‘first eat, then play’. thAN = compArisoN (A for comparing). thEN = whEN / nExt (E for time/sequence).

Why confusing?

They look very similar but have different meanings. Hindi: से (than) vs फिर/तब (then).

Memory trick?

thAN = compArisoN (A for comparing). thEN = whEN / nExt (E for time/sequence).

👨‍👩‍👧 Parent Tips

  1. 1. 💡 Say the memory trick 5 times together.
  2. 2. 📝 Write 3 sentences with each word.
  3. 3. 🔍 Find these errors in books/online.
  4. 4. 🎯 Quiz each other at dinner.
  5. 5. 📅 Master one pair per day.

❓ FAQ

Difference between than vs then?

than = Comparison: ‘taller than Priya,’ ‘better than yesterday’. then = Time/sequence: ‘first eat, then play’. thAN = compArisoN (A for comparing). thEN = whEN / nExt (E for time/sequence).

Why confusing?

They look very similar but have different meanings. Hindi: से (than) vs फिर/तब (then).

Memory trick?

thAN = compArisoN (A for comparing). thEN = whEN / nExt (E for time/sequence).

Tested in exams?

Yes! CBSE/ICSE regularly test these.

Grade level?

Grade 3-4. These are trickier than homophones.

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