USING “So” IN ENGLISH
“So” + ADJECTIVE
First of all, we can use “so” with adjectives.
“So” gives meaning to the words which are expressed,“very” or “that much”.
Examples:
- Tom seems so happy now.
- She was so sad when my grandmother died.
- I am so full. I can’t eat that.
“So” + ADVERB
We can use “so” with adverbs.
“So” is used to express “extreme actions” in the sentences.
Examples:
- The teacher was speaking so loudly.
- They should run so rapidly.
- I am waiting you so nervously.
ATTENTION:
“So” + ADJECTIVE/ADVERB + THAT + RESULT
We can also use “so” with “adjectives /adverbs + that” to explain the result. And also, it is used to indicate that something happens at extreme points. However, using “that” is not necessary.
Examples:
- My child’s room was so untidy ( that ) he could not find anything he was looking for . ( with or without “that”)
- You are so beautiful ( that ) I can’t get my eyes off you. ( with or without “that”)
- This machine works so loudly ( that ) I have a headache.
“So” + MANY/FEW + PLURAL COUNTABLE NOUNS
“So” is used with “many/few” to indicate extremes in amount.
Examples:
- They have so many childrens.
- There are so few cars in the parking lot.
- I ate so many hamburgers.
“So” + MUCH/LITTLE + UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
“So” is used with “much/little” to indicate extremes in amount.
Examples:
- The teacher gave so much advice to the students.
- I have read so much news about this issue.
- There is so little butter in the fridge.
ATTENTION:
“So” + MANY/FEW + PLURAL COUNTABLE NOUNS + THAT + RESULT
“So” + MUCH/LITTLE + UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS + THAT + RESULT
We can also use “so” with “many/few/much/little + that” to explain the result. However, using “that” is not necessary.
Examples:
- The child had so many toys ( that ) he could not decide which to play.
- He eats so much sugar ( that ) he may be a diabetic.
- There was so much food ( that ) we couldn’t decide what to eat.
ATTENTION:
“So much” + COMPARATIVES
We use “so much” with “comparatives” to express extremes.
Examples:
- He looks so much cooler in the clothes.
- This athlete is getting so much faster.
- The sales figures were so much better than expected.
“So” + MUCH / LITTLE / OFTEN / RARELY
“So” is used with “much/often,etc.” to express that how much or how often something is happened.
Examples:
- I have drunk so much.
- We have slept so little.
- She wants to see him so often.
ATTENTION:
“So” + MUCH / LITTLE / OFTEN / RARELY + THAT + RESULT
We can also use “so” with “much,little,etc + that” to explain the result. However, using “that” is not necessary.
Examples:
- I ate so much that I am full.
- He was sending me messages so often that I took him out of friends list.
“So” AS A CONJUNCTION ( REASON -RESULT )
“So”, as a conjunction, is used to connect two clauses. The clause which start with “so” introduces the result of the first clause.
Examples:
- They were tires so they went to bed early.
- I have some money so I want to buy a new car.
- He ran very fast so we couldn’t see him exactly.
ATTENTION:
The clause , starting with “so”, can not come at the beginning of a sentence.
ATTENTION:
“So + that ” AS A CONJUNCTION
“So + that”, as a conjunction, is used to make explanation about the clause or to express the reason of the clause.
- He wants to earn lots of money so that he can buy many things that he wants.
- I put my glasses on so that I could see the movie better.
- His father gave him some story books so that he could improve his reading.
“So” + AUXILIARY VERB + SUBJECT
We use “so” with this method, especially in short answers, to avoid repetitions to mean “in the same way, as well or too”.
Examples:
- A: He is a clever staff. B: So is Linda.
- John can swim very well, and so can his sister.
- His parents want his child to have a good education. So does every parent.
“So” AS SUBSTITUTE
We can use “so” instead of repeating an object clause, also to avoid repetitions.
Examples:
- A: Will Marry join the party tonight? B: I think so. ( I think Marry will join the party tonight. )
- The exam was cancelled. The teacher told us so when we went to the school. ( the teacher told us that the exam was cancelled. )
- A: Is this correct answer? B: I suppose so! ( I suppose this is the correct answer )
For using “such” in English, click here
For differences between “so” and “such”, click here
For using “so…that” and “such…that”, click here
