So + Adjective
USE
"So" can be combined with adjectives to show extremes. This form is often used in exclamations.(感叹句)
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. (可省略)
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 (复数名词)
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 + Noncountable Noun (不可数名词)
USE
"So" can be combined with "much" or "little" plus a noncountable 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(饿) 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."
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(天才) 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..."
EXAMPLE:
The archeologist(考古学家) had never seen such writing before he discovered the tablet(碑).
(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)
EXERCISE:
I. Blank filling
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 music, they thoroughly enjoyed the performance of the Tibetan folk choir.
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 topics in class, but I think it is important to teach our children to question the media.
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.
II. Multiple choice
1. Which of the following is NOT correct? ’She was _______, she always came top of the class.’
a.so clever
b.so intelligent
c.such clever
d.such a clever girl
2. Which of the following is NOT correct? ’It was _________, everyone stayed indoors.’
a.so hot
b.such a hot day
c.such hot weather
d.so a hot day
3. ’￡300 for shoes! That’s ________’
a.such expensive
b.so rich
c.so expensive
d.so a high price
4. Which of the following is NOT correct? ’He was _________, he could do 10 km and not even sweat.’
a.such a fit runner
b.so fit a runner
c.so fit
d.so a fit runner
5. Which of the following is NOT correct? ’The train was ________, it went from Tokyo to Osaka in two and a half hours
a.such fast
b.such a quick one
c.so quick
d.so fast
6. Which of the following is NOT correct? ’I like swimming in the sea, but in England it’s usually ________.’
a.such an icy temperature
b.so cold
c.such cold
d.so icy
