Introduction
Adverbs are words that function as modifiers of other elements of a clause.
So and such are used to emphasise feelings or opinions.
Form
The adverbs so and such do not 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 does not 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 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 do not have a fixed position in a sentence, but they come before an adjective or adverb.
The use of that is optional, it does not 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.