So / Such

The following is a mini-tutorial on the use of "so" and "such." After you have studied the tutorial, complete the associated exercises. If you already know how to use "so" and "such," you can skip the explanation and go directly to the exercises.

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

Practice:

So vs. Such
Gap-fill exercise
Choose the correct answer for each gap below, then click the "Check" button to check your answers. 1. She is funny! She always makes me laugh.

2. Sarah and Ed are

crazy people! I never know what they are going to do next.

3. James has

much money that he could actually buy that Ferrari.

4. Although most of the audience had never been exposed to enjoyed the performance of the Tibetan folk choir.

music, they thoroughly

5. The movie was

good that I saw it five times.

6. Terry speaks English

fluently that I thought he was American.

7. Most students never discuss children to question the media.

topics in class, but I think it is important to teach our

8. Jerry had never seen

high mountains. He thought they were spectacular.

9. Fred is

a clown! He is always telling jokes and making people laugh.

10. There was

little interest in his talk on macroeconomics that the room was half

empty by the time he stopped speaking.

11. How could you say

horrible things to me?

12. He is

a jerk! He hasn't said one nice thing since he started working here.

13. That new song is

cool that it hit the top ten within a week of being released.

14. Martha is

a good cook that she is writing her own book of family recipes.

15. I don't know if that is

a good idea. Maybe we should try something else.

16. She has

many hats that she needs two closets to store them all.

17. That takes

little time and effort that you might as well do it yourself.

18. I had to pay $140 for books for my new Spanish class. I don't know why my professor has to choose expensive books for her course.

19. Please, don't drive

fast! I'm terrified we're going to have an accident.

20. I really wish you wouldn't smoke

much! It's destroying your health.