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 ...')
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 ...
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)
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?
EXERCISES
101.1 Put in so, such or such a.
1. He's difficult to understand because he speaks _so_ quickly.
2. I like Tom and Ann. They're _such_ nice people.
3. It was a great holiday. We had _such a_ good time.
4. I was surprised that he looked --- well after his recent illness.
5. Everything is --- expensive these days, isn't it?
6. The weather is lovely, isn't it? I didn't expect it to be --- nice day.
7. I have to go. I didn't realize it was --- late.
8. He always looks good. He wears --- nice clothes.
9. It was --- boring film that I fell asleep while I was watching it.
10. I couldn't believe the news. It was --- shock.
11. I think she works too hard. She looks --- tired all the time.
12. The food at the hotel was --- awful. I've never eaten . awful food.
13. They've got --- much money, they don't know what to do with it.
14. 1 didn't realize you lived --- long way from the city centre.
15. I can't decide what to do. It's --- problem.
101.2 Make one sentence from two. Use so or such.
1. She worked hard.
2. It was a beautiful day.
3. I was tired.
4. We had a good time on holiday.
5. She speaks English well.
6. I've got a lot of things to do.
7. The music was loud.
8. I had a big breakfast.
9. It was horrible weather.
a. You could hear it from miles away.
b. You would think it was her native language.
c. We spent the whole day indoors.
d. She made herself ill.
e. I couldn't keep my eyes open.
f. I didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day.
g. We decided to go to the beach.
h. I don't know where to begin.
I. We didn't want to come home.
1. _She worked so hard she made herself ill._
2. It was, such a beautiful day we decided to go to the beach._
3. I was ---.
4. ---.
5. ---.
6. ---.
7. ---.
8. ---.
9. ---.
101.3 Use your own ideas to complete these pairs of sentences.
1 a. We enjoyed our holiday. It was so _relaxing._
b. We enjoyed our holiday. We had such _a good time._
2 a. I don't like London very much. It's so ---.
b. I don't like London very much. It's such ---.
3 a. I like Ann. She's so ---.
b. I like Ann. She's such ---.
4 a. I wouldn't like to be a teacher. It's so ---.
b. I wouldn't like to be a teacher. It's such ---.
5 a. It's great to see you again! I haven't seen you for so ---.
b. It's great to see you again! I haven't seen you for such ---.
101.1
4 so 5 so 6 such a
7 so 8 such 9 such a
10 such a 11 so 12 so .. such
13 so 14 such a 15 such a
101.2
3 I was so tired (that) I couldn't keep my eyes open.
4 We had such a good time on holiday (that) we didn't want to come home.
5 She speaks English so well (that) you would think it was her native language. or She speaks such good English (that) ...
6 I've got such a lot of things to do (that) I don't know where to begin. or I've got so many things to do (that) ...
7 The music was so loud (that) you could hear it from miles away.
8 I had such a big breakfast (that) I didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day.
9 It was such horrible weather (that) we spent the whole day indoors.
101.3 Example answers:
2 a. It's so oppressive.
b. It's such an oppressive place.
3 a. She's so friendly.
b. She's such a friendly person.
4 a. It's so exhausting.
b. It's such an exhausting job.
5 a. I haven't seen you for so long.
b. I haven't seen you for such a long time.
