More than or more then: choose the right word

When you evaluate two things, sizes, or quantities, you need a word that connects the two sides of that relationship. In English, that connector is always 'than' rather than 'then'. If your sentence describes one element exceeding another in volume, duration, or weight, the phrase 'more than' establishes the standard. Writing 'more then' in this position breaks the grammatical connection because 'then' cannot link comparative items.

Placing 'more than' immediately before a numerical figure indicates an amount that exceeds that boundary. You might not know the exact final count, but you know with certainty that the total is greater than the number you state. In contrast, 'then' never acts as a numerical modifier. When you see a number representing money, people, hours, or distance following 'more', write 'than' every single time.

You can practise this again in Look up to and their there they're: choose the right word.

Comparisons do not always involve fixed numbers or physical objects; you can also compare how frequently or intensely two people perform an activity. When comparing actions, 'more than' links two verbs, subjects, or clauses. For instance, you can contrast how much one employee travels with another. Because you are still measuring degree or frequency rather than listing a chronological sequence, 'than' remains the correct word choice.

You will frequently need to compare an actual outcome with what you originally anticipated, planned, or hoped for. Phrases such as 'more than expected', 'more than usual', or 'more than planned' establish this contrast clearly. In these expressions, the second half of the phrase represents an imaginary or baseline standard. Because the sentence measures reality against that baseline standard, 'than' is the only grammatically acceptable option.

The word 'then' has a completely different grammatical responsibility: it tells the listener or reader when something happens or what occurs next in a sequence. You use 'then' to order instructions, schedule tasks, or describe an event that followed an earlier event. If you can replace the word with 'after that' or 'next', the correct spelling is 'then' with an 'e'.

Beyond chronological time, 'then' frequently introduces a logical consequence or conditional outcome. You often see this pattern in conditional sentences structured around 'if' and 'then'. When a specific condition is met, 'then' signals the necessary result that follows. Because this construction deals with logic and cause rather than numerical or qualitative comparison, 'than' has no place in this structure.

Complex workplace sentences often combine a comparison and a sequence within a single thought. You might describe an amount that exceeded expectations, followed immediately by the subsequent action your team took. In these sentences, both 'more than' and 'then' appear, but each word performs its own distinct job in its own clause. Keeping their roles clear prevents you from blending them into an incorrect form.

Because native and non-native speakers alike pronounce 'than' and 'then' with reduced vowels in casual conversation, typos easily slip into written emails and reports. When proofreading your writing, perform a quick mental replacement test. If you can substitute 'greater than' or 'above', keep 'than'. If you can substitute 'after that' or 'next', choose 'then'. Never allow 'more then' to stand as a comparative phrase in your drafts.