When to upgrade your van
It stinks getting tripped up by words, especially words which are practically identical. It’s like trying to distinguish between a set of twins who look exactly the same except that one of them has a birthmark on the underside of his right pinkie toe. This seems to be the case with longlost word siblings then and than.
An easy way to remember when it’s appropriate to use then is: then = when. As a general rule, you can use then as an adverb or an adjective with any sentence that has to do with time, what comes next, or what used to be. For instance, use then to replace at that time: I called you five minutes ago. Were you asleep then? In addition, use then to imply the next in time, space, or order: First we will eat tacos and then we’ll dance in the fountain. Then can also be a substitute for words like accordingly or in that case: If you provoke that angry jellyfish, then you will probably get stung. Remember, then = when.
Although than looks eerily similar to then, its purpose is different. If then = when, then than = van. Allow me to explain: do you or does someone you know own a minivan? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a van owner inspect someone else’s van in order to compare each other’s vans. For example: Wow, Dave, your van has dual DVD players in the back seat; your van is way cooler than mine. Than is used as a conjunction any time you’re making a comparison, as van owners often do: You didn’t get the heated leather seats? Mine is clearly better than yours. Remember, than = van.
Let’s put it all together in order to help you determine the most opportune time to acquire a new minivan: If you want to have a fancier van than Dan’s, then you should probably buy the one with satellite Wi-Fi.
Curtis Honeycutt is a freelance humor writer. Connect with him on Twitter (@ curtishoneycutt) or at curtishoneycutt. com.