conjunction
and then
and THEN
And then (conjunction) means used to join two events or actions in the order they happen, showing that the second follows the first. Example: “We finished the paperwork and then drove straight to the airport.”
conjunction
1
Used to join two events or actions in the order they happen, showing that the second follows the first.
"We finished the paperwork and then drove straight to the airport."
"Heat the pan, and then add the oil."
phrase
1
informal Used as a question, and then?, to prompt someone to carry on with a story.
"'She just walked out.' 'And then?'"
How to use and then
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsed to say what happened next.
When to use it
Neutral, leaning informal. Very frequent in speech and narrative.
Memory tip
Never write and than — than is only for comparisons.
Easily confused with
and then / and than
and then / after that
Common pairings
and then some
and then what
first... and then
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We finished the paperwork _____ drove straight to the airport.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
Is it wrong to keep writing and then in a story?
It is not grammatically wrong, but repeating it flattens writing into a list of events. Vary it with after that, once, later, meanwhile, or simply start a new sentence — editors flag chains of and then more than almost anything else in beginners' prose.
Do you put a comma before and then?
Use one when what follows is a full clause with its own subject: 'She left, and then the lights went out.' When the subject is shared, no comma is needed: 'She left and then came back.'
What is the difference between and then and after that?
They mean the same, but and then joins clauses inside one sentence, while after that usually opens a new one. After that also points back more explicitly to the event just described.
What is the meaning of and then?
"and then" (conjunction) means used to join two events or actions in the order they happen, showing that the second follows the first.
