Then or Than: Three Common Mistakes Even Good Writers Make

When deep into the creative impulse, it is sometimes difficult to focus on the technical part of writing. Just setting word to page is imperative when the ideas are flowing. However, it is important to go back and check your work to make sure you have said what you really intended to say, in the way you intended it to be said. Three common mistakes even good writers sometimes make are using the wrong word, inconsistent tense, and relying too much on spell-checker and not enough on good old-fashioned proofreading.

Word Confusion

"Then" has an entirely different meaning from "than", but they sound similar. It can be easy to confuse the two words. A good general rule is to remember that "than" denotes comparison. For example: Ben is taller than Frank. The word "then" most often relates to timing or consequences. Example: After I eat, then I will go for a walk. Or: If I finish school, then I can find a better job. Thefreedictionary.com defines the word "than" as follows:

1. Used after a comparative adjective or adverb to introduce the second element or clause of an unequal comparison: She is a better athlete than I.
2. Used to introduce the second element after certain words indicating difference: He draws quite differently than she does.
3. When. Used especially after hardly and scarcely: I had scarcely walked in the door than the commotion started.

Contrast that definition with the one for the word "then":

1. At that time: I was still in school then. Come at noon; I'll be ready then.
2. Next in time, space, or order; immediately afterward: watched the late movie and then went to bed.
3. In addition; moreover; besides: It costs $20, and then there's the sales tax to pay.
4. Used after but to qualify or balance a preceding statement: The star was nervous, but then who isn't on the first night of a new play.
5. In that case; accordingly: If traffic is heavy, then allow extra time.
6. As a consequence; therefore: The case, then, is closed.

There are other words that are commonly confused because they sound so similar, such as accept/except, advise/advice, sit/set and decent/dissent. As a writer, be sure you are saying what you intend to say.

Inconsistent Tense

Sometimes tense change is used as a tool for telling the story. For instance, a story may start in the third-person past tense, but shift as the point of view changes or to delineate a recollection.

"Bob recalled the time he caught the big fish.
He is fishing the Sandy Creek when his reel starts screaming. He is exuberant, heart pounding like a drum. The sun glints off the water and the birds in the trees lift into the sky with a rush of wings. Bob knows he has hooked something huge.
Shaking his head, Bob pulled himself from the memory and returned to his task. "

This shift is intentional and designed to delineate a past recollection from present activities. But all too often, writers lose track of tense (and point of view), and go back and forth between present and past tense. This is jarring to a reader, even if the reader does not understand why. For instance, can you spot the tense changes in the following passage?

"Ben grabbed his gun and stomped to the door. "I'll shoot that wolf before I'll let him take another of my chickens!" he shouts. He jerks the front door open and peers outside. On the lawn, the wolf stood still as a statue and stared at Ben. He seemed unafraid, defiant even. Before Ben could raise the weapon to his shoulder, the wolf strolls into the brush. Ben wipes the sweat from his brow and sighs. He knew he should have moved faster, been more decisive. But, deep in his heart he lacks the will to kill the majestic creature. His arm relaxed and he stepped back inside the cabin."

The above narration is all over the place with regard to tense. The timing shifts from present to past tense from sentence to sentence. As a writer, it is not only important to convey your message, but to also stay true to the narrative style in order to preserve the flow and logic of your scene. It is critical to be aware of tense in your writing.

Over-Reliance on Spell-check

Spell-check is a wonderful tool and one that no writer should be without. However, relying only on spell-check can lead to mistakes in your writing. Spell-check will not catch mistakes where a word is spelled correctly, but used incorrectly. For instance, in a letter from one law office to another, the secretary typed "the attorneys will arrange a time to meet for medication". She intended to say "mediation". Spell-check did not catch this error because the word was correctly spelled. It just happened, comically, to be the wrong word. In our upcoming novel, Betrayed, careful proofreading revealed an incorrect word choice involving "grisly" vs. "grizzly". By all means, use spell-check on your documents. But, remember there is no substitute for proofreading. Proofing, editing, and revising your writing is not as much fun as creating the story, but it is essential to a quality end-product.