What is the correct grammer?

[TranceNation]

what is the correct sentence?


1) But everything looks nicer then it really is.

or

2) But everything looks nicer than it really is.


thanks, I always have trouble with these kinds of things.

 

[flavio]

2

Than is a comparison term like "I'd rather be screwing off in OT than working".

Then is time related like "flavio screwed around in OT too much then he got in trouble with his boss".

 

[Jfur]

yes, #2

 

[Moonbeam]

Me too. I try to keep it straight by remembering that then is time like 'now and then' I get it right.

 

[BlueScreenVW]

Are you telling me that even native USAicans have trouble with then/than...? Really funny - I thought that was more of a typical "reveal your alienship by writing"-thingy.

 

[KK]

Are you supposed to start a sentence with the word "But"? I'm no grammer expert, but I thought I remember this from highschool. I could be wrong.

KK

 

[CanOWorms]

Isn't it grammar?

 

[Elledan]

<< Isn't it grammar? >>

LOL

BTW it's indeed #2. 'then' is used to announce that something else happened after the previous event (He lost his job, and then his wife ran away with his dead dog). 'than' is used when comparing something (...greater than, smarter than, more complicated than... etc.).

And English isn't even my native language

 

[Miramonti]

Than is a conjunction or preposition. it refers to comparison like flavio mentioned. Then is usually an adverb modifying a time or occurance.

Are you supposed to start a sentence with the word &quot;But&quot;? I'm no grammer expert, but I thought I remember this from highschool. I could be wrong.

Thats what I was always taught but then you find out later some famous authors used it that way, geez we were suckas!. I think its discouraged because kids would use it too much to as 1/2 a sentence or something. ok i'm getting confused now!

 

[ufs]

maybe i am wrong but i have observed that non-native people can speak better english than natives.

 

[Elledan]

<< maybe i am wrong but i have observed that non-native people can speak better english than natives. >>

Assuming that most people on this board have English as their native language and taking in consideration the serious grammatical errors which are made in most posts, I'd say that you're probably right

 

[Haircut]

People that learn English at school as a second language get taught grammar a properly, whereas people that speak English as their first language might have done a few things on grammar in English class, but for the most part I think that we just pick it up from people around us.

 

[Cyberian]

Grammar is correct.
#2 is more correct.
Starting a sentence with 'but' used to be considered incorrect, but seems to be acceptable now.

 

[C'DaleRider]

Actually, when you really examine the &quot;sentences, the use of the word &quot;but&quot; transforms the sentence

<< Everything looks nicer than it really is. >>

into a phrase, with the word &quot;but&quot; being a coordinating conjunction before an independent clause.



<< Everything looks nicer than it really is.
>>

is a sentence.



<< But everything looks nicer than it really is.
>>

is a phrase.

 

[blakeatwork]

heheh...my sis-in-law is an english major...

GrammAr is the correct spelling, and neither is correct. Not just for having &quot;but&quot; at the beginning, but there is really no such word as &quot;nicer&quot;, again, according to her. She suggests using &quot;better&quot; in place of &quot;nicer&quot;.

smarty-pant know-it-all...

 

[GasX]

Starting a sentence with &quot;but&quot; is perfectly acceptable. However it is the type of thing that is best used rarely to make a point. People rarely do it correctly which may explain why it is discouraged in school.

 

[aspitzer]

2.

&quot;Me fail english, that's unpossible&quot; -Ralph Wiggum

 

[XHuskY]

<< maybe i am wrong but i have observed that non-native people can speak better english than natives. >>





<< People that learn English at school as a second language get taught grammar a properly, whereas people that speak English as their first language might have done a few things on grammar in English class, but for the most part I think that we just pick it up from people around us. >>



I agree. Also the ESL people usually can spell better than natives, I mean, How often natives look up the dictionary?

 

[syzygy]

grammar help courtesy of a university professor

 

[rml]

How about this incorrect sign at the supermarket?

&quot;10 items or less&quot;

Never seen one that said: &quot;10 items or fewer&quot;

and the widely accepted double negative: I didn't do nothing

 

[Spamela]

here's one for the english majors:

which sentence is grammatically correct?

1) hey, is youse guys goin' fer a beer?
2) hey, ain't youse guys goin' fer a beer?

 

[syzygy]

as colloquial syntax they are both correct. you are mimicing (or giving voice)
to native speakers, therefore you are allowed creative latitude outside normal
grammar. twain and e.e. cummings would've been outlaws if not this license.

 

[RanDum72]

Number 2. And its GRAMMAR

 

[Schlocemus]

Don't you mean &quot;What is the correct grammar?&quot;

 

[neovan]

Definitely #2