Other than or other then – which is correct?

There are many words and phrases in English that resemble each other very closely. Are you wondering whether to write other than or other then? We have the answer for you right here, and it couldn’t be clearer.

Is it other than or other then?

The only correct version of the established expression meaning “except for”, “apart from” is other than. This is probably what you mean, since the other option, other then, is nothing more than a random combination of words. You might see it somewhere, but the two words put together don’t create a coherent phrase – it’s probably a misspelling.

Other than or other then? How to tell the phrases apart

The confusion with this expression lies in the fact that than and then are very similar in spelling and pronunciation. Remember that than is a comparative word and shows us contrast between things, for example “he is taller than his brother”.

The word then, on the other hand, relates to time, and can mean “at that moment” or “afterwards”, e.g. it appears in the phrase “then and there” meaning “at the time and place in question”, “at once”. To make it even easier to remember the spelling, you can think of then as a response to the question “when?”.

The best way to get the spelling right is to think about the meaning of the separate words. After all, the phrase other than is always about comparison rather than time.

Other than or other then? Examples in sentences

Children who get sustained musical education have long been assumed to reap educational benefits in areas other than music.

Michael Sokolove, Drama High, 2013

I wanted them to make friends, real friends—to find kids who liked them for reasons other than that they were Barack Obama’s daughters.

Michelle Obama, Becoming, 2018