so*/*/*/

[səʊ]

grammar word summary: So can be: ■ an adverb: Why are you so angry this morning? ♦ ‘I'm hungry.' ‘So am I.' ■ a conjunction: There weren't enough beds, so I had to sleep on the floor. ■ used in the conjunction phrase so that: He was standing in the shadow so that I could not see his face clearly.

1) for emphasis used for emphasizing a quality, feeling, or amount

I'm so glad you could come.[/ex]

The food's wonderful, but it's so expensive![/ex]

The children couldn't sleep, they were so excited.[/ex]

Like so many great artists, he died young.[/ex]

The road surface became so hot that it melted.[/ex]

2) used instead of repeating sth used for referring back to what has just been said instead of repeating it

You're in love with Rita, aren't you? I thought so.[/ex]

If you wanted to leave early, you should have said so.[/ex]

Does the President intend to go to Moscow? And if so, when?[/ex]

3) also used for saying that something that was just said is also true about another person or thing

Heidi is planning to come, and so is Sylvia.[/ex]

My parents send their love, and so does Rachel.[/ex]

‘I'd like to know what's happening out there.' ‘So would I.'[/ex]

If I learned how to drive a car, so can you.[/ex]

4) because of what has just been mentioned used for saying that something happens because of what you have just mentioned

A tree had fallen across the road, so they had to turn round and go back.[/ex]

5) for stating a purpose used for saying what the purpose of an action is

He lowered his voice so that no one would hear.[/ex]

6) for starting a new subject spoken

used for starting a new subject or starting to ask a question

So, let's get down to business.[/ex]

So, what do you suggest we do next?[/ex]

7) when showing sth spoken

used when showing someone what size something is or how something should be done

She was about so tall.[/ex]

Tie the two ends together, like so.[/ex]

8) for saying that sth is limited used for saying that a number or amount is limited

We have only so much time before the exams start.[/ex]

There are only so many police officers available.[/ex]

•

and so on/forth — used instead of mentioning more of a similar type of thing that has already been mentioned[/ex]

Employees were always complaining about their wages, their working conditions, and so forth.[/ex]

not so...(as) — used for saying that one person or thing has less of a particular quality than another[/ex]

The Rosario family managed to flee, but others were not so lucky.[/ex]

The idea is not so silly as it sounds.[/ex]

or so — used for showing that a number or amount is not exact[/ex]

The job won't take long - about twenty minutes or so.[/ex]

so (what)? — informal used for saying in a slightly rude way that what someone has said is not important[/ex]

'Someone might see us.' 'So what? We're not doing anything illegal.'[/ex]

See:

long II