English grammar · Intermediate
So and Such: So Plus Adjective vs. Such Plus Noun
So and such both intensify, but they sit in different places. So goes in front of an adjective or an adverb (so humid, so quickly). Such goes in front of a noun phrase (such humidity, such a humid evening, such beautiful terraces). Both can open a result with that (so humid that..., such a humid evening that...). So many, so much, so few, and so little are the forms you need before a noun of quantity.
The conservatory was so humid that the chandelier misted; it was such a humid evening that we moved the supper onto the terrace.
so plus adjective; such plus a plus adjective plus noun
What it is
So and such turn the volume up, and they refuse to sit in each other's chairs. So modifies a quality word: an adjective (so humid) or an adverb (so quickly). Such modifies a noun phrase, and it swallows any adjective that belongs to that noun (such humidity, such a humid evening). That is the whole contrast. Add that and you get a result clause: The conservatory was so humid that the chandelier misted. It was such a humid evening that we moved supper onto the terrace. Before a quantity noun you need so many, so much, so few, or so little, not such many.
The fog came in so quickly. (so + adverb) It was such a quick change that we lost the terrace. (such + a + adjective + noun)
How to spot it
Find the word being intensified. If it is an adjective or adverb standing alone as complement or modifier, you want so. If a noun follows, with or without an adjective, you want such. If the noun is a quantity (people, time, furniture, light), check whether many, much, few, or little is required instead.
- The conservatory was so humid. (so plus adjective)
- It was such a humid evening. (such plus a plus adjective plus noun)
- The fog closed in so quickly that we lost the path. (so plus adverb plus that)
- There were so many lanterns on the terrace that the lawn looked staged. (so many plus plural noun)
Such is not an adjective. Such humid evening (missing a) and so a humid evening (so in such's chair) are the two errors this page is built to stop.
So and Such Quick Reference
So versus such: the seat each word takes
| Pattern | Shape | Example |
|---|---|---|
| so + adjective | no noun immediately after so | The conservatory was so humid. |
| so + adverb | so before a manner or degree adverb | The fog closed in so quickly. |
| such + uncountable / plural noun | such plus noun, adjective optional | such humidity; such beautiful terraces |
| such + a/an + singular countable | a/an sits after such, before the adjective | such a humid evening |
| so / such ... that | result clause after that | so humid that the chandelier misted |
| so many / so much / so few / so little | quantity, not such | so many lanterns; so much mist |
Common So and Such Examples in English
So on qualities, such on noun phrases, then the result pattern and the quantity forms:
So plus Adjective or Adverb
- The conservatory was so humid.
- so plus adjective after be
- The chandelier hung so low that we ducked.
- so plus adjective plus that
- The fog closed in so quickly.
- so plus adverb of manner
- We had not expected the terrace to cool so fast.
- so plus adverb, still no noun after so
So cannot sit directly in front of a noun: so humidity and so evening are impossible. If a noun is coming, switch to such or to so many / so much.
Such plus a Noun Phrase
- It was such a humid evening.
- such plus a plus adjective plus singular noun
- We had never sat through such humidity.
- such plus uncountable noun, no a
- They laid such beautiful tables on the terrace.
- such plus adjective plus plural noun, no a
- Such weather belongs further south.
- such plus uncountable noun as subject
A/an appears only with a singular countable noun, and it sits after such: such a humid evening, never a such humid evening and never such humid evening.
So / Such ... That
- The conservatory was so humid that the chandelier misted.
- so plus adjective plus that-result
- It was such a humid evening that we moved supper onto the terrace.
- such plus noun phrase plus that-result
- The fog closed in so quickly that we lost the gravel path.
- so plus adverb plus that-result
- They had hung such low lanterns that we walked in a pool of light.
- such plus adjective plus plural noun plus that
That is often dropped in speech (It was so humid we moved supper). Keep that in careful writing, especially after a long noun phrase.
So Many, So Much, So Few, So Little
- There were so many lanterns on the terrace.
- so many plus plural countable
- There was so much mist over the lawn.
- so much plus uncountable
- So few guests had brought coats.
- so few plus plural, a small number
- There was so little light under the pergola that we ate by touch.
- so little plus uncountable, a small amount
Such many and such much are not English. Such a lot of is the informal alternative: such a lot of mist, such a lot of lanterns.
How So and Such Work
One test: what follows? A quality word takes so. A noun phrase takes such.
So Takes Adjectives and Adverbs
So is an intensifier of degree. It sits immediately in front of an adjective (so humid, so low) or an adverb (so quickly, so fast). It does not take a noun as its complement. After be, look, seem, and feel you will almost always want so plus adjective: The conservatory was so humid. After a verb of manner you will want so plus adverb: The fog closed in so quickly.
The chandelier hung so low.
so plus adjective, no noun after so
So + adjective / adverb.
Such Takes a Noun Phrase
Such sits at the front of a whole noun phrase and intensifies it. The noun can be uncountable (such humidity), plural (such beautiful terraces), or singular countable (such a humid evening). Any adjective belongs inside that phrase, after such and after a/an if a/an is needed.
It was such a humid evening.
such plus a plus adjective plus noun
Such + (a/an) + (adjective) + noun.
A/An Comes after Such, Not before It
With a singular countable noun the article is required, and its seat is fixed: such a humid evening. A such humid evening and such humid evening are both wrong. Uncountable and plural nouns take no article: such humidity, such beautiful terraces. That is ordinary article grammar, applied after such.
Such a low chandelier. Such low lanterns. Such humidity.
a with singular countable; none with plural or uncountable
Such a + singular. Such + plural / uncountable.
That Adds a Result
So and such often open a result clause with that. The so/such part names the degree; the that-clause names what the degree caused. Either word can do this job: so humid that the chandelier misted; such a humid evening that we moved supper. The result clause takes an ordinary tense, not a special form.
The fog closed in so quickly that we lost the gravel path.
degree in the first clause, result in the that-clause
So / such ... that + result.
Quantity Nouns Take So Many and So Much
When you intensify how many or how much, so combines with a quantifier: so many lanterns, so much mist, so few guests, so little light. Such cannot take many or much. Such a lot of is the informal way to intensify a quantity with such: such a lot of mist. Enough, too, and very are different intensifiers and do not swap with so in these quantity frames.
There was so much mist that the terrace disappeared.
so much plus uncountable plus that
So many / much / few / little, not such many.
Common Mistakes with So and Such
Incorrect: It was so a humid evening that we moved supper.
Correct: It was such a humid evening that we moved supper.
A noun phrase (a humid evening) needs such, not so. So would only be possible if the noun were dropped: The evening was so humid.
Incorrect: It was such humid that the chandelier misted.
Correct: It was so humid that the chandelier misted.
Humid here is an adjective with no noun after it, so it takes so. Such humid would also need a noun (such humid air) and still would not take a bare adjective.
Incorrect: There were such many lanterns on the terrace.
Correct: There were so many lanterns on the terrace.
Quantity takes so many, not such many. Such a lot of lanterns is the informal such-version of the same idea.
Incorrect: It was a such beautiful terrace.
Correct: It was such a beautiful terrace.
The article sits after such, not before it. Such a beautiful terrace is the fixed order for a singular countable noun.
So Many, So Much, So Few, So Little
The quantity set is the one place learners try to use such and cannot.
Many and few with plurals; much and little with uncountables
So many and so few go with plural countable nouns. So much and so little go with uncountable nouns. The so is the intensifier; the second word is the ordinary quantifier.
- so many lanterns, so few coats
- plural countable
- so much mist, so little light
- uncountable
- There was so much furniture on the terrace that we ate indoors.
- furniture is uncountable, so much
So much lanterns and so many mist swap the quantifiers and are wrong for the same reason many mist is wrong.
Such a lot of as the informal alternative
If you want to keep such in front of a quantity, use such a lot of. It works with both plurals and uncountables.
- such a lot of mist
- informal, uncountable
- such a lot of lanterns
- informal, plural
- We had such a lot of time after the fog lifted.
- uncountable time
Such many, such much, and so a lot of are not standard. Choose so many / so much or such a lot of.
So that versus so ... that
So that (two words, no gap) introduces a purpose, not a degree. So ... that with an adjective in the gap introduces a result. They look similar and do different jobs.
- We moved supper onto the terrace so that we could feel the air.
- so that plus clause: purpose
- It was so humid that we moved supper onto the terrace.
- so plus adjective plus that: result
- They hung the lanterns low so that the lawn would glow.
- purpose, not degree
If you can replace so that with in order that, you have purpose. If you can replace so with very and keep that, you have result.
Quick Check: So and Such
Choose so or such, and add a or an where the noun needs it.
1. The conservatory was ___ humid that the chandelier misted.
Answer: so
so plus adjective
2. It was ___ humid evening that we moved supper onto the terrace.
Answer: such a
such plus a plus adjective plus singular noun
3. The fog closed in ___ quickly that we lost the gravel path.
Answer: so
so plus adverb
4. There were ___ many lanterns that the lawn looked staged.
Answer: so
so many plus plural
5. We had never sat through ___ humidity.
Answer: such
such plus uncountable noun, no article
6. They laid ___ beautiful tables on the terrace.
Answer: such
such plus adjective plus plural noun
So and Such FAQs
- What is the difference between so and such?
- So intensifies an adjective or an adverb: so humid, so quickly. Such intensifies a noun phrase: such humidity, such a humid evening. The next word decides which form you need. So a humid evening and such humid (with no noun) are the two swaps to avoid.
- Why do we say such a humid evening and not such humid evening?
- Evening is a singular countable noun, so it needs an article, and that article sits after such: such a humid evening. Uncountable and plural nouns take no article: such humidity, such beautiful terraces. A such humid evening puts the article in the wrong place.
- How do so ... that and such ... that work?
- They name a degree and then the result it caused. The conservatory was so humid that the chandelier misted; it was such a humid evening that we moved supper onto the terrace. So still needs an adjective or adverb; such still needs a noun phrase. That is often dropped in speech and is safer kept in writing.
- Do I use so many or such many?
- Use so many, so much, so few, and so little. Such many is not English: There were so many lanterns on the terrace, and there was so much mist over the lawn. If you want to keep such in front of a quantity, use such a lot of: such a lot of lanterns.
- Is so that the same as so ... that?
- No. So that introduces a purpose: We moved supper onto the terrace so that we could feel the air. So humid that introduces a result of degree: It was so humid that we moved supper. If you can replace so that with in order that, you have purpose; if you can replace so with very, you have a degree result.