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 (75 votes)

Submitted by GiulianaAndy on Fri, 25/06/2021 - 00:05

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Hello, great lesson. However, I have a question about the question 5 in the grammar test 2. It says: "It was so kind of him.........". I thought that kind is being a noun and because of that I chose "such" and not "so", but when I so the answer it was "so". Could you explain me what should I use "so" and not "such", please? Thank you very much.

Hello GiulianaAndy,

The word kind is an adjective, so if it is by itself we use so:

It was so kind of him...

If there is a noun with the adjective then we use such:

He was such a kind man.

The noun from kind would be kindness:

He showed such kindness.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by Rafaela1 on Mon, 01/02/2021 - 14:21

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He's such a nice guy. ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ゚+。:.゚ He's so unique. ( ^-^)ノ∠※。.:*:・’°☆

Submitted by Harry on Tue, 12/01/2021 - 08:19

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If I am correct,your above examples was only described with affirmative sentences.Is it possible to use in negative form to make sentence stronger such as "I am not so much cleverer than him". THANK YOU!

Hello Harry,

Yes, it is possible to say that. A comparative form (so much cleverer) would be used as a response to a perceived exaggeration:

Your hotel is many times more expensive than the other one!

No, it's not so much more expensive. Perhap a little, but not so much.

 

With a normal (non-comparative) adjective it

He isn't so clever. He's just very confident when he speaks.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Mason2afm on Sun, 25/10/2020 - 21:01

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Hello. Wich one is correct response to " I'm hungry", so am i or so do i?
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Submitted by Peter M. on Mon, 26/10/2020 - 07:03

In reply to by Mason2afm

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Hello Mason2afm,

The correct form here is 'So am I'.

When the verb in the first sentence is 'be' (am, are, were etc) then it is repeated in the answer. If a different verb were used then we might use 'do', depending on the form of the verb.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by tamdk151.93 on Thu, 22/10/2020 - 13:46

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I'm SO interested because of SUCH a fascinating lesson