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"Then" is not really required in the examples you show. "Then" is only really required when the previous sentence or clause indicates further actions or items. "First, the Earth cooled, then the d...
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#3: Attribution notice added
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/28746 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
"Then" is not really required in the examples you show. "Then" is only really required when the previous sentence or clause indicates further actions or items. " **First** , the Earth cooled, **then** the dinosaurs came." I also suspect you are looking at sentences to tell your story rather than complete paragraphs. Your examples can easily be re-written to avoid "then". "After setting down his chef hat on the counter Mr. HSC squinted his slanted eyes at me. “Look my shift’s over, he said. "How ‘bout we go to the izakaya around the corner?"" "As soon as she found my letter---or rather, Kiyoshi's---she widened her slitted eyes and pressed the letter against her chest. She opened the envelope as though handling a delicate glass sculpture."