Hello love muffins!

It’s time to get a glass of wine and sit down to read another grammar lesson from your favorite fairy! Today, we’re going to learn about the difference between then and than; because if you’re over the age of 8 and still making this mistake, you might as well scream from the rooftops: “I haven’t read a book since high school!”

But not to worry. There’s a simple way to remember how to tell them apart.

Depending on where you live, you might think they sound the same; but for many of us, it doesn’t. Either way, know this: they are not interchangeable.

So what’s the difference?

Then refers to a sequence of events: Cinderella ran down the stairs at midnight, then lost her glass slipper, then got into the carriage, which then sped away. The prince then decided that if the shoe would fit the abnormally tiny foot of a provincial village maiden, then he would marry her (I have to tell you, cuddle bugs, that even I, as a Fairy Godwriter, cringe at the concept. Charles Perrault must have had some serious issues when he came up with that story).

Than refers to a comparison: A person who reads a lot has a better command of grammar than a person who doesn’t. Reading books is more productive than watching The Jersey Shore. Queen Elsa’s story is much more inspiring than Cinderella’s because, well, she was the queen.

Alright, pumpkins (see what I did there?) Have a wonderful rest of the day!

Much love,

The Fairy Godwriter