[Grammar] Which is correct to use then or than

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Jimbo

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Hi

I am new to this site, and would like to improve my English grammar

I normal see statments like the one below and I think it should be (than and not then)

Normal spans less then 55mm

which is correct:?:

Thanks Jimbo :)
 

Анонимен

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I'm not a teacher.

Than is what should be used. You use it to compare, while then is used to arrange events in time.
 

ratóncolorao

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Hi

I am new to this site, and would like to improve my English grammar

I normal see statments like the one below and I think it should be (than and not then)

Normal spans less then 55mm

which is correct:?:

Thanks Jimbo :)


Sorry, but there is one thing in your sentence that really struck me, mainly because you are a native speaker, so...I am really confused. Can you please clarify this for me:
Why have you used the word "normal", when you should have used "normally"? Since "normal" is an adjective and they don't modify verbs.
Am I wrong?
Right now I am at a dead end. :roll:
 

Barb_D

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The adjective "normal" is modifying the noun "spans."

You could also day "Normally (as a general state of affairs), spans are less than...


Note that in your original, you have no verb, so it's acting as a noun phrase for something else. Normal spans don't have this problem, but exceptionally long ones do... something like that.
 

ratóncolorao

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The adjective "normal" is modifying the noun "spans."

You could also day "Normally (as a general state of affairs), spans are less than...


Note that in your original, you have no verb, so it's acting as a noun phrase for something else. Normal spans don't have this problem, but exceptionally long ones do... something like that.

He also uses "normal" in this sentence:

I normal see statments like the one below and I think it should be (than and not then)

The one I was concerned about.

Thanks ;-)
 

Barb_D

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Missed that entirely!

That should be "normally."
 

kfredson

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Hi

I am new to this site, and would like to improve my English grammar

I normal see statments like the one below and I think it should be (than and not then)

Normal spans less then 55mm
Is there a word missing here? Is spans acting as a noun or verb?

which is correct:?:

Thanks Jimbo :)

I assume the word you are looking for is "than," but it would help if you would rewrite your sentence to make it clearer.
 
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