Is there anything more embarrassing for a writer than mixing up two similar-sounding words? Well, a lot of writers must be embarrassed these days, because than and then keep showing up wrong in manuscripts I edit.

Than is used when you want to compare two things, such as Jane kisses better than you.

Then relates to time, specifically to show when something occurred, as in We gazed into one another’s eyes then kissed.

Now then, do we understand the difference, lol? Hopefully so!

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.