than

than

W1S1 [ðən strong ðæn] conj, prep

[: Old English; Origin: thanne, thAnne]

1.) used when comparing two things, people, situations etc

▪ Natalie was prettier than her sister.

▪ You need that money more than I do.

▪ There were more people there than I expected.

▪ If it costs more than $60, I won't buy it.

▪ She had woken even earlier than usual.

▪ Divorce is more common than it was a generation ago.

2.) other than

except for a particular person or thing

▪ We never go to church other than for funerals and weddings.

▪ We know he lived in Fleet Road, but other than that we don't know much about him.

3.) would rather/would sooner ... than

used to say that you prefer one thing to another

▪ I'd rather drive than go by train.

▪ She said she'd rather die than live in the city.

4.) no sooner/hardly had ... than

used to say that one thing happens immediately after another thing

▪ No sooner had I got into the house than the phone rang.

▪ Hardly had they reached Edinburgh than they were ordered to return to London.