UNIT 101 So and such

A. Study these examples:

#1 * I didn't enjoy the book.

The story was so stupid.

We use so + adjective/adverb:

so stupid so quick so nice so quickly

#2 * I didn't enjoy the book.

It was such a stupid story.

We use such + noun: such a story such people

We use such + adjective + noun: such a stupid story such nice people

Note that we say such a... (not 'a such...')

B. So and such make the meaning of an adjective (or adverb) stronger:

* It's a lovely day, isn't it? It's so warm. (= really warm)

* He's difficult to understand because he speaks so quickly.

Compare so and such in these sentences:

* I like Tom and Ann. They are so nice.

You can use so... that...:

* The book was so good that I couldn't put it down.

* I was so tired that I fell asleep in the armchair.

You can leave out that in sentences like this:

* I was so tired (that) I fell asleep.

* We enjoyed our holiday. We had such a good time. (= a really good time)

* I like Tom and Ann. They are such nice people. (not 'so nice people')

You can use such... that...:

* It was such a good book that I couldn't put it down.

* It was such lovely weather that we spent the whole day on the beach.

* It was such lovely weather (that) we...

C. We also use so and such with the meaning 'like this':

* I was surprised to find out that the house was built 100 years ago. I didn't realize it was so old. (as old as it is)

* I expected the weather to be much cooler. I didn't expect it to be so warm.

* I'm tired because I got up at 6 o'clock. I don't usually get up so early.

* I didn't realize it was such an old house.

* The house was so untidy. I've never seen such a mess. (= a mess like this)

Note the expression no such...

* You won't find the word 'blid' in an English dictionary because there is no such word. (= this word does not exist)

D. We say: so long but such a long time:

* I haven't seen her for so long I've forgotten what she looks like.

so far but such a long way:

* I didn't know it was so far.

so much, so many but such a lot (of):

* Why did you buy so much food?

* I haven't seen her for such a long time. (not 'a so long time')

* I didn't know it was such a long way.

* Why did you buy such a lot of food?