Intensifiers: 'so' and 'such'

Intensifiers: 'so' and 'such'

Do you know how to use the words so and such? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how so and such are used.

She's so interesting!
This is such an interesting book.
A new phone costs so much money these days.
Traffic in the city centre is such a nightmare!

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

'so' and 'such': Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation 

We can use so and such to intensify adjectives, adverbs and nouns.

Adjectives and adverbs

We can use so with an adjective or adverb to make it stronger.

It's so hot today!
She looks so young in that photo.
He walks so slowly. It's so annoying!

If we are using the comparative form of the adjective or adverb, we use so much to make it stronger.

They were so much more innocent when they were younger.
I work so much more quickly when I can concentrate.

Nouns

With a noun or adjective + noun, we use such to make it stronger. 

You're such an angel!
It's such a hot day today!
They're such lovely trousers. Where did you buy them?

However, when we use much, many, little and few with a noun, we use so to make it stronger.

There are so many people here!
I've had so little time to myself this week.

Saying the result

We often use these so and such structures with that and a clause to say what the result is.

It was so cold that the water in the lake froze.
He was such a good teacher that we all passed the exam.
There's so much noise that I can't think!

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

'so' and 'such': Grammar test 2

Language level

Average: 4.2 (51 votes)
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Submitted by sinameghdad on Mon, 29/01/2024 - 16:08

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Hello dears. Your input in answering the questions is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your valuable contribution.th
This is a multi-option question: "Due to Ibn Sina, much of the classical learning of Greece were preserved during the European Dark Ages when such knowledge would otherwise have been lost." and 4 phrases are underlined as one of them is incorrect and should be corrected: a) the classical learning, b) were preserved, c) such knowledge, d) have been lost.
what do you think about the right answer? considering both "learning" and "knowledge" are uncountable nouns.

Hi sinameghdad,

We're glad you find our site useful!

I would choose b) as the incorrect one. The noun phrase "much of the classical learning of Greece" needs a singular verb form ("was preserved") rather than a plural one. I hope that helps.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Hi Dear Jonathan
Nice to receive your help. That's great! Thanks a lot
Yes actually b as an incorrect verb for learning is the right answer. but what about d: have been lost? it refers to "such knowledge" and considering "knowledge" an uncountable word should not it be "has been lost". unless accepting that "such" makes it countable and therefore its verb accordingly is in plural form. does "such" has such a function?
Thank you again and hope you the best

Hello singmeghdad,

The verb in that phrase isn't 'have been lost' -- instead it is 'would have been lost'. After modal verbs we always use 'have' and never 'has'.

Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Mojahed Jahelnbay on Sun, 05/11/2023 - 05:47

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Hello
In the example above: It's so hot today! , the role: we use 'such' with adjective + noun
why you didn't use 'such' instead of 'so'?
thank you!

Hello Mojahed,

In this sentence the word 'today' is an adverb, not a noun, so we use 'so' as the modifier. Compare:

It was so hot today. [so + adjective with adverb]

It was such a hot day today. [such + adjective + noun with adverb]

 

Peter

Profile picture for user oyo

Submitted by oyo on Tue, 19/09/2023 - 16:02

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IT'S AWESOME IT IS INTRESTING IT'S JUST BEST

Submitted by Anca098 on Wed, 12/07/2023 - 16:51

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Which of this is the correct one? Such great was his popularity that or such was his popularity...
Thank you!

Hello Anca098,

'great' is an adjective, so you should use 'so': 'So great was his popularity ...'

Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team