SUCH VS SO

Such and so
1.        such  before (adjective +) noun
We use such  before a noun (with or without an adjective).  Such  comes before a/an.
She’s such a baby.  (NOT She’s so a baby.)
I’m surprised that he’s got such patience.
They’re such fools.
It was such good milk  that we couldn’t stop drinking it.  (NOT It was so good milk that..)
I’ve never met such a nice person.  (NOT …a such/so nice person.)
You’ve got such strange friends.

2.        so  before adjective, adverb etc
We use so  before an adjective alone (without a noun) or an adverb.
She’s so babyish.  (NOT   She’s such babyish.)
He’s so patient  with her.
The milk was so good that we couldn’t stop drinking it.
She’s so nice.
Why do you talk so slowly?
We can also use so  before much, many, few and little
We’ve got so much  to do, and so little time.
We use so much, not so, before comparatives.
I’m glad you’re feeling so much better.  (NOT…so better.)



So (degree adverb; substitute word)
1.        degree
So  can have a similar meaning to ‘to that extent’ or ‘that much’.  It is often used when we are talking about a high degree of some quality – in situations where very  is also a suitable word.
I’m sorry you’re so tired. (= I know you’re very tired, and I’m sorry.)
It was so cold  that we couldn’t go out.  (= It was very cold  weather, and because of that we couldn’t go out.)

2.        before adjectives etc
We can use so  before an adjective alone (without a noun) or an adverb.
He’s so silly.
The milk was so good  that we couldn’t stop drinking it.
Why are you driving so fast?
So  is not used with adjective + noun.
It’s such terrible weather.  (NOT   It’s so terrible weather.)
I enjoyed my stay in your country, which is so beautiful. (NOT ……so beautiful country.)

So  can be used before the quantifiers  much, many, few and little (with or without nouns).
There was so much  to eat and so few people  to eat it.
We use so much,  not so, before comparatives.
She’s looking so much older.  (NOT … so older.)
有到真题好象就是  such few cars ------> so few cars

3.        so  and  very
Very  is used when we are simply giving information.  So  is mainly used (in the same way as like this/that) to refer to information which has already been given, which is already known, or which is obvious.  Compare:
-----  You’re very late.  (giving information)
I’m sorry I’m so late.  (referring to information which is already known)
-----  It was very warm when we were in HongKong.   (giving information)
If  I’d known it would be so warm I’d have taken lighter clothing. (referring to information which is already known)

4.        that – clauses
Structures with very  cannot be followed directly by that-clauses.  Instead, we can use so…that.
It was so  cold that  we stopped playing.  (NOT  It was very cold that we stopped playing.)
He spoke so fast that nobody could understand.

5.        so…as to…
There is also a structure with so  followed by adjective + as to + infinitive.  That is formal and not very common.
Would you be so kind as to tell   me the time?  (=…kind enough to.) (NOT  Would you be so kind to…)

6.        so…a…
There is a rather formal structure so + adjective + a/an + singular countable noun.
I had never before met so gentle a person.  (=… such a gentle person.)
Normally adjectives go after the article a/an
A beautiful voice
But after as, how, so, too and this/that  meaning so,  adjectives go before a/an.
As/how/so/too/this/that + adjective +a/an + noun
I have as good a voice  as you.
How good a pianist  is he?
It was so warm a day  that I could hardly work.
She is too polite a person  to refuse.
I couldn’t afford that big a car.
The structure is not possible without a/an.
I like your country – it’s so beautiful.  (NOT   I like your so beautiful country.)
Those girls are too kind to refuse.  (NOT  They are too kind girls to refuse.)

7.        adverbial uses: like that
So  is not normally used adverbially to mean ‘like this/that’, ‘in this/that way’.
Look – hold it up in the air like this.   (NOT…hold it up in the air so.)
When he laughs like that  I want to scream.  (NOT  When he laughs so…)
I don’t think we should do it in that way.  (NOT  I don’t think we should do it so.)

8.        substitute word
So can be used in some structures instead of repeating an adjective or adverb.
The weather is stormy and will remain so over the weekend.
I read the front page very carefully, and the rest of the paper less so.