Introduction
Adverbs are words that functions as modifiers of other elements of a clause.
So and such are used to emphasise feelings or opinions.
Form
The adverbs so and such don’t have a fixed position in a sentence, but they come before an adjective or adverb.
The structure for so and such, as exclamatory sentences, is:
…so + adjective/adverb + that* + …
….such + (a/an) + adjective + noun + that* + …
*That is optional, it doesn’t change the meaning of a sentence.
Example
- I took a taxi to save time but it was driving so slowly.
- The food she had at midnight was so unpleasant (that) she could not eat it.
- The food was served on such a beautiful plate and in such a short time.
- He is such a successful man! He always achieves his goals.
- The teacher gave students such a short period to study for the exam (that) it was almost impossible for them to study all the material.
Use
We can use so and such [1] to emphasise actions, feelings, opinions:
- So: very, highly;
- Such: very, great.
Summary
So and such are adverbs used to emphasise feelings or opinions. So means very, highly; such means very, great.
The adverbs so and such don’t have a fixed position in a sentence, but they come before an adjective or adverb.
The use of that is optional, it doesn’t change the meaning of a sentence.
For example:
— “They were so busy that they had to wake up in the early hours of the morning.” = So emphasises how busy they are.
— “He was gone for such a long time that we thought they had gotten lost.” = Such highlights the fact that he was away for a really long time.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.