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单词 then
释义
then
(once / 4 pages)
1advnadj 2adv

Then is a word that puts things in order by time, or refers to a moment in time: you get up; then you have breakfast. You're married now; back then, you were single.
The word then can also be used as a consequence, often after the word if. If you watch the kids, then I will clean the house. Don't confuse then with than, which sounds similar. Than is used to compare two things: I like spaghetti better than macaroni and cheese. Then is about time or consequence: you eat dinner, then get dessert. If you're good, then maybe you'll get a big dessert.
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS
than / then

Than compares things, but then is all about time. They sound similar and were even spelled the same until the 1700s. Not anymore! Vive la difference!

Than shows comparison and has words on either side. A giraffe is bigger than a weasel. A pickle tastes better than a shoe. Than shows up in familiar sayings:

It's better to give than to receive.

Actions speak louder than words.

His bark is worse than his bite.

Problems arise when a pronoun follows than. Is it "She is taller than I"? Or "She is taller than me"? If you said "taller than I," you are correct! Because of the understood verb — "She is taller than I (am)" — you use I not me. (If that sounds a little stuffy, don't worry. Over the years it's become okay to save "taller than I" for formal writing and use "taller than me" informally.)

Okay, then, let's talk about then. Then doesn't bother comparing anything, it just moves things along. Then can be used as in "next," or "at a particular time," or "in that case." It often comes after an "if" as in "If we write about cats, then we must write about dogs." And then there were examples:

She got up at 4 a.m. to practice, then went to school, then got back in the pool to practice some more. (Washington Post)

Moun was treated by prison medical staff, then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. (Los Angeles Times)

Getting these imports at a cheaper price, then, is good news. (US News)

There you have it. Than is higher in the alphabet than the word then. When making comparisons, than gets an A because it's more competitive. It's even first in the alphabet! Then has an "e" because it's n-e-xt.

WORD FAMILY
then: thens
USAGE EXAMPLES
Qaddafi was toppled and then little was done to save Libya from a descent into turmoil.
The Guardian(Jan 03, 2017)
Prosecutors say she crashed into an SUV and was then hit head-on by another car.
Washington Times(Jan 03, 2017)
No. 13 Wisconsin appears in both of the Big Ten’s matchups, first visiting No. 25 Indiana on Tuesday then visiting No. 20 Purdue on Sunday.
Seattle Times(Jan 02, 2017)
1
1adv at that time
I was young then
prices were lower back then
science as it was then taught
2adv subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
then he left
go left first, then right
first came lightning, then thunder
Syn
and so, and then, so
3n that time; that moment
we will arrive before then
we were friends from then on
Hyper
point, point in time
an instant of time
4adj at a specific prior time
the then president
Syn
past
earlier than the present time; no longer current
2
adv in that case or as a consequence
if he didn't take it, then who did?
keep it then if you want to
the case, then, is closed
you've made up your mind then?
then you'll be rich
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更新时间:2024/9/20 11:02:20