punctuation

[kohyoongliat]

When you have exceeded 5000 posts, I believe you will be a forum guru. In the event that they don't let you become a forum guru because you are not from the U.K, and if I am still using Englishforums then, I will be the first one to protest..

1. ... if I am still using Englishforums then, I will be the first one to protest.
2. ...if I am still using Englishforums, then I will be the first one to protest.

Is #1 or #2 correct or are both correct but with different meaning?

[2006]

They both are correct and have the same overall meaning , but the two "then"s can have different meanings.

The first "then", the one before the comma, can only mean 'at that time'.
The second "then", after the comma, can mean 'at that time', but it can also mean 'in that case'.

Actually, the "then"s are optional, particularly the second one, the one with the two possible meanings.

Even though they both are correct, I prefer the first one, as in the original sentence.