Semicolons and Then vs. Than
Stop second-guessing your punctuation and word choice. Learn simple diagnostic tests to pick 'then' or 'than' every time and wield the semicolon with total confidence.
Like Duolingo, but for Semicolons and Then vs. Than. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
A short one: 12 levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes end to end, roughly 5 days at five minutes a day. It moves through Fixing Everyday Sentence Slips and Polishing Complex Sentences. It starts from scratch.
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Key ideas in Semicolons and Then vs. Than
- 'Than' is required when weighing two items or people against each other
- Comparative adjectives ending in -er (like taller, bigger, faster) always pair with 'than', never 'then'
- 'Then' moves a story or timeline forward to the next chronological event
- Sequence markers describing 'what happens next' require 'then' instead of 'than'
- The letter 'e' links 'then' directly to 'time'
- The letter 'a' links 'than' directly to 'comparison'
- Substituting 'next' or 'after that' serves as an immediate check for 'then'
- If replacing the word with 'next' produces nonsense (like 'taller next him'), the correct word must be 'than'
- Fixed preference phrases like 'rather than' and 'other than' always take 'than'
- Expressions evaluating quality such as 'better than' or 'worse than' are comparisons that never take 'then'
- Both parts before and after a semicolon must be capable of standing alone as complete sentences
- A dependent clause starting with words like 'because' or 'before' cannot stand alone after or before a semicolon
- A semicolon has the exact same structural boundary requirements as a period
- If a period creates a sentence fragment on either side, the semicolon is invalid
- A comma by itself cannot join two complete sentences (a comma splice)
- A semicolon has the grammatical strength to join two complete thoughts without words like 'and' or 'but'
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives Semicolons and Then vs. Than the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
Your friend wants to brag about their height. Which word fits best after 'taller'?
Get it right to open this lesson and 11 more in the app.
Where Semicolons and Then vs. Than takes you
- 1
Fixing Everyday Sentence Slips
- Then vs. Than: Sorting Time from Comparison
- The Semicolon: Connecting Two Complete Thoughts
- 2
Polishing Complex Sentences
- The Semicolon Bridge: Handling Words Like 'However'
- The Super-Comma: Untangling Lists Full of Commas
2 sections · 4 units · 12 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Tomo is in ChatGPT
Tomo is also a ChatGPT plugin: the same playable courses, built and played inside your chat.
Add Tomo to ChatGPT- What to ask
- “Make me a Tomo course on black holes.” “Turn this chat into a Tomo course.”
- What you get
- Quick questions with instant feedback, hearts and stars, ready to play in about a minute.
- Where it goes
- No sign-up to start. Connect your Tomo account and your streak carries on in the app.
You pick the voice
Semicolons and Then vs. Than is taught in the Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
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