So means more or less the same as very. Actually in most situations where so is possible, very is also a suitable word.
- You are so beautiful. (= You are very beautiful.)
- He is so funny. (= He is very funny.)
So can be used before an adjective or an adverb.
- She is so rich.
- He is so intelligent.
Note that ‘so’ is not used before ‘adjective + noun’. In such cases we use ‘such’.
- He is such a clever boy. (NOT He is so a clever boy.)
- He is so clever.
- It is such awful weather. (NOT It is so awful weather.)
Note that before comparative expressions, we use so much, not so.
- She looks so much younger in that dress. (NOT She looks so younger in that dress.)
So can be followed by a that-clause. Very cannot be used before a that-clause.
Study the examples given below.
- He was so tired that he sat down to rest. (NOT He was very tired that …)
- I was so impressed with their performance that I watched the entire show.
- He is so intelligent that he can solve any problem.
- The soup was so hot that I couldn’t drink it.
- It was so late that we didn’t go out.
This structure is used to talk about cause and effect.
Note that the structure so…that… is used in complex sentences. ‘So’ is part of the main clause and the ‘that-clause’ acts as a subordinate adverb clause.
We can express the same idea using too…to.
- The soup was too hot for me to drink.
- It was too late for us to go out.