A DIFFERENT LOOK AT SO AND SUCH ; LESSON 2

SO:

1. Before an Adjective (Before Adverb):
   • Before an adjective, “so” adds emphasis. For example:
     • “He is lazy” simply means he is lazy.
     • “He is so lazy” means he is very lazy.
   • Before an adverb, it emphasizes the degree. For example:
     • “He speaks fluently” describes his ability to speak.
     • “He speaks so fluently” means he speaks very fluently.
2. Before Quantity Expressions (With Countable and Uncountable Nouns):
   • Before countable nouns:
     • “She’s got so many CDs” means she has a large number of CDs.
   • Before uncountable nouns:
     • “He has got so little time” means he has very little time.
     • “I have got so much money” means I have a lot of money.
3. “So…that” to Express Cause and Effect:
   • When combined with “that,” it explains why something is happening.
   • For example: “He is so lucky that he always wins.”

SUCH:

1. Before Nouns and Noun Phrases:
   • “Such” is used before nouns or noun phrases to add emphasis. For example:
     • “He is such a lazy person” means he is very lazy.
     • “She is such a lucky girl” emphasizes her luck.
     • “He makes such a lot of mistakes” means he makes many mistakes.
2. “Such…that” to Explain Consequences:
   • When combined with “that,” it explains the result or consequence of something.
   • For example: “He lives in such an untidy room that he can’t find his pen.”

In summary, “so” is used before adjectives, adverbs, and quantity expressions to intensify them, while “such” is used before nouns and noun phrases to emphasize them. Both “so” and “such” can be followed by “that” to explain the cause or consequence of a situation.