Categories: Grammar

Using “So” in English

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 )