to be elder (older) than

Writers often mix elder and older because both relate to age. Use older for direct comparisons (X is older than Y). Use elder before a noun to mark family or communal seniority (my elder sister; the elders). Avoid elder + than.

Quick answer

Use older for comparisons (X is older than Y). Use elder before a noun when you mean a family or traditional label. Never use elder + than.

Correct: She is older than her sister.
Correct (attributive family usage): My elder brother attended the ceremony.
Wrong: She is elder than me. → Fix: She is older than me.
Work tip: For rank or role, prefer senior or more senior instead of elder.

Core rule - one line you can trust

Older is the comparative adjective (use with than). Elder is mainly attributive before a noun to show family or community seniority, or a noun meaning respected older people. Don't pair elder with than.

Comparison? Use older + than.
Before a noun to label a family/community role? elder is acceptable (often formal).
In most writing and speech, older is the safe, neutral choice.

Grammar details: attributive vs predicative; elder as a noun

Elder usually appears before a noun (attributive): "my elder sister." It does not form comparative phrases with than. Older works before a noun ("the older child") and after verbs ("she is older"). Elder can be a noun: "the elders."

Attributive: elder + noun is acceptable in family or formal contexts.
Predicative comparison (after a verb): use older + than (never elder + than).
Elder as noun: "the elders met" (group of respected older people).

Real usage and tone: family, formal, and workplace

Older is neutral and fits casual, academic, and business contexts. Elder sounds formal or traditional and is common in family descriptions or when naming a group of respected seniors. For workplace rank, use senior or more senior.

Neutral: older - safe everywhere.
Family/formal label: elder (before a noun) or eldest for the superlative.
Workplace rank: senior or more senior is preferred.

Examples: wrong → right pairs (work, school, casual, rewrites)

Each wrong sentence is followed by a corrected version and a short note when useful.

Wrong: "Sarah is elder than her sister."
Right: "Sarah is older than her sister."
Wrong: "He is elder to me."
Right: "He is older than me."
School - Wrong: "She's elder than her classmates."
Right: "She's older than her classmates."
Work - Wrong: "John is elder in the team, so he gets the lead."
Right: "John is the senior member of the team, so he gets the lead."
School - Wrong: "This professor is elder than the other."
Right: "This professor is older than the other."
Casual - Wrong: "He's elder than his brother."
Right: "He's older than his brother."
Work - Wrong: "My elder colleague is giving a talk."
Right: "My senior colleague is giving a talk."
Casual - Wrong: "The elder of the two cats is five years old."
Right: "The older of the two cats is five years old."
Rewrite - Original: "She is elder than I thought." Rewrite: "She is older than I thought."
Rewrite - Original: "The elder brother will inherit the house." Rewrite: "The eldest brother will inherit the house." (superlative) or "The older brother will inherit the house." (neutral)
Rewrite - Original: "My elder colleague will review this." Rewrite: "My senior colleague will review this."
Casual - Usage: "My older sister and I met for coffee."
School - Usage: "An older student helped me find the lab."
Work - Usage: "We need input from the elders of the community." (elder as noun - correct)
Wrong: "He is elderly than me."
Right: "He is older than me."
Wrong: "She is elderest of the three."
Right: "She is the eldest of the three."
Wrong: "My elder sister sent a note."
Right: "My older sister sent a note." (neutral)
Wrong: "He seemed elder than his age suggests."
Right: "He seemed older than his age suggests."

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence instead of the phrase alone. Context usually makes the correct choice obvious.

Hyphenation: compounds with older (and why elder rarely appears here)

Hyphenate age-comparison compounds used before a noun: older-than-average student, older-than-expected turnout. Never write elder-than-expected - that's nonstandard.

Before a noun (hyphenate): an older-than-average class.
After a verb (no hyphen): "The student is older than average."
Avoid: elder-than-expected.

Spacing and common typos

Watch the then/than swap and incorrect spacing around hyphens; these often appear alongside elder/older mistakes.

Use than for comparisons: older than (not older then).
Don't add spaces around hyphens in compounds: older-than-average (not older - than - average).
Scan for "elder" followed by "than" - change it to older than.

Rewrite help: fix your sentence in three quick steps

Checklist: identify whether it's a comparison, pick the word that matches tone, then read aloud.

Step 1: Is there a comparison (than)? If yes → use older.
Step 2: Is the word before a noun to show family rank? elder may be OK; older is neutral; use senior for workplace rank.
Step 3: Read aloud for tone - choose elder only if you want a formal/traditional feel.

Fix: "My elder sister sent a note." → "My older sister sent a note." (neutral) or keep elder for a formal tone.
Fix: "He seemed elder than his age suggests." → "He seemed older than his age suggests."
Work fix: "The council's elder members spoke first." → keep as "elder" if you mean respected seniors, or use "senior members" for workplace clarity.

Memory trick

Remember: older = comparison (think "old + -er" → more old). Elder = before a noun or as a noun for respected seniors. If you hear "than," reach for older.

Similar mistakes and a quick proofreading checklist

These errors often appear together: elderly, eldest/oldest, senior, and then/than. Use the checklist when proofreading.

elderly vs older: elderly often implies frailty; use it carefully.
eldest/oldest: superlatives for the oldest among three or more; eldest commonly with relatives.
senior: preferred for workplace rank or experience.
Proofread checklist: search for "elder" + "than" (wrong); check hyphenation; confirm tone (family/formal vs neutral).

FAQ

Can you say "elder than"?

No. Do not use elder with than. Use older than for comparisons: "She is older than her brother."

Is "my elder brother" correct?

"My elder brother" is acceptable, especially in formal or traditional British usage. "My older brother" is more neutral and common.

When should I use "senior" instead of elder or older?

Use senior for workplace rank or experience (e.g., "senior engineer"). Use elder for family/formal uses and older for plain age comparisons.

What about "eldest" and "oldest"?

Use eldest or oldest as superlatives when comparing three or more. Eldest often appears with relatives; oldest is the general form.

How do I proofread quickly for this mistake?

Search for "elder" and "older." If "elder" is followed by "than," change it to "older." If "elder" precedes a noun, decide whether a formal tone is intended or whether "older" or "senior" is clearer.

Need help fixing one sentence?

If a line still feels uncertain, paste the sentence into a checker or ask a colleague. In most cases swap elder → older for comparisons and elder → senior for workplace rank to fix the issue quickly.