So and Such

Study these examples:

I didnt enjoy the book. The story was so stupid.
We use so + adjective/adverb:
So stupid/ so nice/ so quick/ so quickly
I didnt 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:
Its a lovely day, isnt it? Its so warm.(= really warm)
Hes difficult to understand because he speaks so quickly.
We enjoyed our holiday. We had such a good time. (= a really good time)
Compare so and such in these sentences:
I like Tom and Ann. They are so nice.
I like Tom and Ann. They are such nice people. (not so nice people)
You can use so that:
The book was so good that I couldnt put it down.
I was so tired that I fell asleep in the armchair.
You can use suchthat:
It was such a good book that I couldnt put it down.
It was such lovely weather that we spent the whole day on the beach.
You can leave out that in sentences like this:
I was so tired (that) I fell asleep.
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 didnt realize it
was so old. (as old as it is)
I didnt realize it was such an old house.
I expected the weather to be much cooler. I didnt expect it to be so warm.
The house was so untidy. Ive never seen such a mess. (= a mess like this)
Im tired because I got up at 6 oclock. I dont usually get up so early.
Note the expression no such
You wont find the word blid in an English dictionary because there is no such a
word.(= this word does not exist)
We say so long but such a long time:
I havent seen her for so long Ive forgotten what she looks like.
I havent seen her for such a long time.(not a so long time)
So far but such a long way:
I didnt know it was so far.
I didnt know it was such a long way.
So much, so many but such a lot (of):
Why did you buy so much food?
Why did you buy such a lot of food?

Exercises
A- Put in so, such, or such a.
1. Everything is ________ expensive these days, isnt it?
2. I have to go. I didnt realize it was ______ late.
3. He always looks good. He wears ____________ nice clothes.
4. It was _____________ boring film that I fell asleep while I was watching it.
5. I couldnt believe the news. It was __________ shock.
6. I think she works too hard. She looks _____ tired all the time.
7. The food at the hotel was______ awful. Ive never eaten ___________ awful food.
8. Theyve got ______much money, they dont know what to do with it.
9. I didnt realize you lived __________ long way from the city centre.
10. I cant decide what to do. Its _______ problem.
B- Make one sentence from two. Use so or such.
1. I was tired.
2. We had a good time on holiday.
3. She speaks English well.
4. Ive got a lot of things to do.
5. The music was loud.
6. I had a big breakfast.
7. It was horrible weather.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

You could hear it form miles away.

You could think it was her native language.
We spent the whole day indoors.
I couldnt keep my eyes open.
I didnt eat anything else for the rest of the day.
I dont know where to begin.
We didnt want to come home.

Use your own ideas to complete these pairs of sentences.

1 a- We enjoyed our holiday. It was so _____________________________.
b- We enjoyed our holiday. We had such __________________________.
2 a- I dont like London very much. Its so ___________________________.
b- I dont like London very much. Its such _________________________.
3 a- I like Ann. Shes so __________________________________________.
b- I like Ann. Shes such ________________________________________.
4 a- I wouldnt like to be a teacher. Its so ____________________________.
b- I wouldnt like to be a teacher. Its such __________________________.
5 a- Its great to see you again. I havent seen you for so _________________.
b- Its great to see you again. I havent seen you for such _______________.