So

So + adjective (so difficult), so + adverb (so slowly)

We often use so when we mean ‘to such a great extent’. With this meaning, so is a degree adverb that modifies adjectives and other adverbs:

Using that camera is easy. Why is she making it so difficult?

Why is she so untidy?

I’m sorry I’m walking so slowly. I’ve hurt my ankle.

It doesn’t always work out so well.

We also use so as an intensifier to mean ‘very, very’:

That motorway is so dangerous. Everyone drives too fast.

That’s kind of you. Thanks so much for thinking of us.

We often use so with that:

He’s so lazy that he never helps out with the housework.

It was so dark (that) we could hardly see.

We don’t use so before an adjective + a noun (attributive adjective). We use such:

She emailed us such lovely pictures of her and Enzo.

Not: … so lovely pictures …

We use such not so to modify noun phrases:

She is such a hard-working colleague.

Not: … so a hard-working colleague.

It’s taken them such a long time to send the travel brochures.

Not: … so a long time …

See also:

• Such