Skip to content
Zorg Space Open the app

English grammar

so tired that, such a long day that

B1 · Intermediate Joining sentences Questions 10

The rule

Both make something stronger and then give its consequence. so goes in front of an adjective or an adverb on its own: so tired, so quickly. such goes in front of a noun phrase, and keeps a or an when the noun is singular: such a long day, such good news. The consequence follows with that, which you may leave out in speech: It was so cold (that) we went home. With an amount, use so much, so many, so few, so little.

Pattern

so + adjective/adverb + that … · such (a/an) + noun phrase + that …

Examples

  1. The film was so long that I fell asleep.

  2. It was such a cold morning that the pipes froze.

  3. There were so many people that we could not sit down.

  4. She spoke so quickly that I understood nothing.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: It was so a long day that I slept at eight.

    Right: It was such a long day that I slept at eight.

    A noun phrase takes such, not so.

  • Wrong: The bag was such heavy that I took a taxi.

    Right: The bag was so heavy that I took a taxi.

    A lone adjective takes so.

  • Wrong: There were such many people that we left.

    Right: There were so many people that we left.

    Amounts take so much and so many.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. The queue was such a long that we gave up.
    2. The queue was so long that we gave up.
    3. The queue was so long as we gave up.
    4. The queue was such long that we gave up.
    Show answer

    Answer: B The queue was so long that we gave up.

    Adjective on its own, so so.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. It was so a good film that I saw it twice.
    2. It was so good a film that I saw it twice for beginners.
    3. It was such good film that I saw it twice.
    4. It was such a good film that I saw it twice.
    Show answer

    Answer: D It was such a good film that I saw it twice.

    Singular noun phrase, so such a.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. We had such a bad weather that the trip was cancelled.
    2. We had so bad weather that the trip was cancelled.
    3. We had such bad weather as the trip was cancelled.
    4. We had such bad weather that the trip was cancelled.
    Show answer

    Answer: D We had such bad weather that the trip was cancelled.

    weather is uncountable, so such with no article.

  4. 4Choose the correct sentence.

    1. He earns so few that he cannot save anything.
    2. He earns so little that he cannot save anything.
    3. He earns such little that he cannot save anything.
    4. He earns such a little that he cannot save anything.
    Show answer

    Answer: B He earns so little that he cannot save anything.

    An uncountable amount takes so little.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    It was _____ hot that we stayed indoors.

    1. so
    2. such
    3. so a
    4. such a
    Show answer

    Answer: A It was so hot that we stayed indoors.

    A bare adjective takes so.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    She is _____ a kind neighbour that everyone asks her.

    1. so
    2. so much
    3. such
    4. such of
    Show answer

    Answer: C She is such a kind neighbour that everyone asks her.

    A singular noun phrase takes such a.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    There was _____ noise that I could not sleep.

    1. so much
    2. so many
    3. such many
    4. so a lot
    Show answer

    Answer: A There was so much noise that I could not sleep.

    noise is uncountable, so so much.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    He had _____ few friends that he moved back home.

    1. such
    2. so
    3. so much
    4. such a
    Show answer

    Answer: B He had so few friends that he moved back home.

    A countable shortage takes so few.

  9. 9Put the words in the right order.

    The bag was so heavy that I took a taxi

    Show answer

    Answer: The bag was so heavy that I took a taxi.

    so + adjective, then that + the consequence.

  10. 10Put the words in the right order.

    It was such a shock that she sat down

    Show answer

    Answer: It was such a shock that she sat down.

    such a + noun, then that.

Practise this lesson in Zorg Space

In the app every rule becomes interactive practice: instant correction, reviews at the moment you are about to forget, and progress you can see from level to level — free.

Start for free

More in «Joining sentences»