So / Such

The following is a mini-tutorial on the use of "so" and "such."

So + Adjective

USE

"So" can be combined with adjectives to show extremes. This form is often used in exclamations.

Examples:

• The music is so loud! I wish they would turn it down.
• The meal was so good! It was worth the money.

USE with "That"

The above form can be combined with "that" to show extremes which lead to certain results. The "that" is usually optional.

Examples:

• The music is so loud that I can't sleep.
• The music is so loud I can't sleep.

• The meal was so good that we decided to have dinner at the same restaurant again tonight.
• The meal was so good we decided to have dinner at the same restaurant again tonight.

 

So + Adverb

USE

"So" can be combined with adverbs to show extreme actions. This form is often used in exclamations.

Examples:

• She spoke so quickly! She sounded like an auctioneer.
• He paints so well! I am sure he is going to become a famous artist.

USE with "That"

The above form can be combined with "that" to show extreme actions which lead to certain results. The "that" is usually optional.

Examples:

• She spoke so quickly that I couldn't understand her.
• She spoke so quickly I couldn't understand her.

• He paints so well that they offered him a scholarship at an art school in Paris.
• He paints so well they offered him a scholarship at an art school in Paris.

 

So + Many / Few + Plural Noun

USE

"So" can be combined with "many" or "few" plus a plural noun to show extremes in amount. This form is often used in exclamations.

Examples:

• I never knew you had so many brothers!
• She has so few friends! It's really quite sad.

USE with "That"

The above form can be combined with "that" to show extremes in amount which lead to certain results. The "that" is usually optional.

Examples:

• I never knew you had so many brothers that you had to share a bedroom.
• I never knew you had so many brothers you had to share a bedroom.

• She has so few friends that she rarely gets out of the house.
• She has so few friends she rarely gets out of the house.

 

So + Much / Little + Non-countable Noun

USE

"So" can be combined with "much" or "little" plus a non-countable noun to show extremes in amount. This form is often used in exclamations.

Examples:

• Jake earns so much money! And he still has trouble paying the rent.
• They have so little food! We need to do something to help them.

USE with "That"

The above form can be combined with "that" to show extremes in amount which lead to certain results. The "that" is usually optional.

Examples:

• Jake earns so much money that he has lost all sense of what a dollar is worth.
• Jake earns so much money he has lost all sense of what a dollar is worth.

• They have so little food that they are starving to death.
• They have so little food they are starving to death.

 

So + Much / Little / Often / Rarely

USE

"So" can be combined with words like "much," "little," "often," or "rarely" to describe how much or how often someone does an action. This form is often used in exclamations.

Examples:

• Earl drinks so much! It's not good for his health.
• My sister visits us so rarely! I really miss her.

USE with "That"

The above form can be combined with "that" to show the results of extreme actions. The "that" is usually optional.

Examples:

• Earl drinks so much that it is starting to interfere with his work.
• Earl drinks so much it is starting to interfere with his work.

• My sister visits us so rarely that my kids wouldn't even recognize her.
• My sister visits us so rarely my kids wouldn't even recognize her.

 

Such + Adjective + Noun

USE

"Such" can be combined with an adjective and a noun to show extremes. This form is often used in exclamations.

Examples:

• Don has such a big house! I think it's a little ridiculous.
• Shelly has such beautiful eyes! I have never seen that shade of blue before.

USE with "That"

The above form can be combined with "that" to show extremes which lead to certain results. The "that" is usually optional.

Examples:

• Don has such a big house that I actually got lost on the way to the bathroom.
• Don has such a big house I actually got lost on the way to the bathroom.

• Shelly has such beautiful eyes that she got a job as a make-up model.
• Shelly has such beautiful eyes she got a job as a make-up model.

NOTE

Remember that without the noun you need to use "so."

Examples:

• such beautiful eyes that
• so beautiful that

 

Such + Judgemental Noun

USE

"Such" can also be combined with judgemental nouns for emphasis. This form is often used in exclamations.

Examples:

• He is such an idiot! He says the stupidest things.
• She is such a genius! We could never do this work without her.
  

USE with "That"

The above form can be combined with "that" to show certain results. The "that" is usually optional.

Examples:

• He is such an idiot that nobody would hire him.
• He is such an idiot nobody would hire him.

• She is such a genius that they immediately gave her a position at the university.
• She is such a genius they immediately gave her a position at the university.

 

Such + Noun (This type of...)

USE

"Such" can also mean "this type of..." or "that type of..."

Examples:

• The archeologist had never seen such writing before he discovered the tablet.
  this/that type of writing
• She usually doesn't receive such criticism.
  this/that kind of criticism
• Frank has never made such mistakes before.
  these/those kinds of mistakes