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Original poster

ThAn thAn thAaaaaan

107 replies

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:36

I swear this didn't use to be such a common error, but I have read so many posts today where people say then when they mean than!
I guess it's because lots of people (including me) pronounce it 'thn'.
Eg. If you say you'd rather stay at home then go to the beach it sounds like you're going to do one after the other!
Aaaaargh!

OP posts:
Blobbitymacblob · 12/07/2025 18:11

Some of this could be down to autocorrect. It used to correct one word at a time, but now it switches out words and phrases a few words back, or finishes off a word while you’re still typing and then obligingly “makes sense” of the rest of what you type. It drives me bonkers. My phone is not as smart as it thinks it is. But I’m also not good at spotting errors as I skim read for sense.

mathanxiety · 12/07/2025 18:09

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:57

Oh and another thing - anyways!
It doesn't need an s!

It's a sturdy American colloquialism. To my ear (and I live in the US) hearing it on British lips, or in any accent other than blue collar American, is always jarring

Original poster
Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 18:08

DublinLaLaLa · 12/07/2025 18:06

And, whilst you’re at it, pop that second ‘f’ back on ‘of’…

Lots of these mistakes phonetically replicate spoken English. I think it’s fine as long as everyone know what the poster means. It isn’t an application for a job. You’ve proved yourself that when you’re writing in a hurry, people can make simple mistakes.

Show quote history

I literally just noticed that and was scrambling to try to edit that 😅

OP posts:
lazyarse123 · 12/07/2025 18:07

I commented on a FB post. I typed were but it came out as we're and i didn't spot it so one nice chap thought it would be a good idea to correct me.
He put "we are" painfull. Like a good little woman i apologised said it was autocorrect. Then I thought about it and replied again "if we're being pedantic painful only has one l.
I can tolerate being corrected because I'm not perfect but no need to be arsey. I sit on my hands a lot of the time and try not to be judge.

DublinLaLaLa · 12/07/2025 18:06

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:58

Dear American people, take that s of 'anyways' and put it on the end of 'math'.

And, whilst you’re at it, pop that second ‘f’ back on ‘of’…

Lots of these mistakes phonetically replicate spoken English. I think it’s fine as long as everyone know what the poster means. It isn’t an application for a job. You’ve proved yourself that when you’re writing in a hurry, people can make simple mistakes.

MsPug · 12/07/2025 18:06

I did laugh at the 'sleepy drived' today though 🤣

TaborlinTheGreat · 12/07/2025 18:05

I don't think it's just that people don't read. People may read less published stuff, but it total they read absolutely loads more than people did 50 years ago. They read gazillions of poorly-spelled social media posts and online content, which actually perpetuate common spelling and grammar mistakes.

Isittimeformynapyet · 12/07/2025 18:01

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:58

Dear American people, take that s of 'anyways' and put it on the end of 'math'.

That would work 😃

LemondrizzleShark · 12/07/2025 18:00

May be autocorrect - “that” autocorrects to “they” all the time for me on my phone - no idea why, presumably I type “they” more than “that”.

Isittimeformynapyet · 12/07/2025 18:00

Any minute now people will be along to list all the common errors that get mentioned all the time on these threads.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 12/07/2025 17:58

HauntedBungalow · 12/07/2025 17:55

"Been" instead of "being". I've seen this on file notes at work for close to ten years. It clearly doesn't make sense - just think about what you're writing, people.

As soon as I see mistakes like this, I start making (unwarranted and unnecessary) judgements about the poster. I mean, anyone can make an autocorrect mistake or have a slip of the finger, but consistent grammatical mistakes just make me think that someone has never read a book or newspaper in their lives and relies on the internet for all their information.

I know, I know, I shouldn't think like this! And I do try not to, but...

Original poster
Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:58

Dear American people, take that s of 'anyways' and put it on the end of 'math'.

OP posts:
Isittimeformynapyet · 12/07/2025 17:58

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:57

Oh and another thing - anyways!
It doesn't need an s!

American. I have to let this one go 🤷🏻

Laiste · 12/07/2025 17:57

My bugbear is all the myself/yourself stuff where good old me and you would do 😫

Original poster
Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:57

Oh and another thing - anyways!
It doesn't need an s!

OP posts:
Madisnttheword · 12/07/2025 17:56

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:51

I saw "wheel to live" too. I've also seen non when they mean none quite a few times which is a bit strange.

Same thread she wrote litterally too

Isittimeformynapyet · 12/07/2025 17:56

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:51

I saw "wheel to live" too. I've also seen non when they mean none quite a few times which is a bit strange.

This one is growing in popularity too. I'm seeing it so often.

HauntedBungalow · 12/07/2025 17:55

"Been" instead of "being". I've seen this on file notes at work for close to ten years. It clearly doesn't make sense - just think about what you're writing, people.

Laiste · 12/07/2025 17:55

Honestly i think a lot of this is because people don't read any more. Except text messages with bad grammar ...

If you only hear words and never see them written down you can get it very wrong.

Original poster
Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:54

P.S. I know this sort of thread has been done to death but I haven't seen anyone actually mention the then/than thing before.

OP posts:
AramintaBottersnike · 12/07/2025 17:54

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:51

I saw "wheel to live" too. I've also seen non when they mean none quite a few times which is a bit strange.

I've seen it the other way around quite a lot, none instead of non. For example "it was a none starter".

Isittimeformynapyet · 12/07/2025 17:52

Thank you OP. It's been irritating me for ages. This is very, very basic stuff.

Annascaul · 12/07/2025 17:52

Another one creeping in is "his" instead of he's. I've seen it multiple times and it's baffling. It doesn't even sound similar.

Laiste · 12/07/2025 17:52

Should i mention the good old chesterdraws at this point 🧐

Original poster
Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:51

I saw "wheel to live" too. I've also seen non when they mean none quite a few times which is a bit strange.

OP posts: