{"id":2828,"date":"2018-07-24T23:00:13","date_gmt":"2018-07-25T05:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/?p=2828"},"modified":"2023-11-13T11:29:01","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T17:29:01","slug":"so-tell-me-when-is-it-correct-to-use-so","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/pronouns\/so-tell-me-when-is-it-correct-to-use-so\/","title":{"rendered":"So Tell Me\u2014When Is It Correct to Use So<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

So:<\/em> It’s among the shortest words in English, and use of it abounds. So, when are we going to meet up? That movie was<\/em> so good. I<\/em> so much want to be there. He’s not feeling well,<\/em> so he probably won’t go to the meeting.<\/em><\/p>\n

The word has become a versatile agent for our language during the last couple of centuries. Yet as many of us know, sometimes familiarity can breed contempt. Once a word starts to appear anytime, anywhere, we begin to question its identity and perhaps its validity too.<\/p>\n

We all may have heard instances when, similar to the word like,<\/em> so<\/em> has served as a sentence filler.<\/em> This casual use paves the way for so<\/em> to seep into contexts where it doesn’t belong or may not be needed.<\/p>\n

To get to the bottom of what the word really means and how we should approach it in formal writing today, let’s start with how Merriam-Webster online helps to define it:<\/p>\n

so<\/em> (adv):<\/strong>\u00a0in a manner stated or suggested; in the same way; to a great degree; without a doubt<\/p>\n

so<\/em> (conj):<\/strong> for that reason, therefore; with the result that, in order that<\/p>\n

so<\/em> (adj):<\/strong>\u00a0agreeing with actual facts, true; marked by a desired order<\/p>\n

so<\/em> (pron):<\/strong>\u00a0such has been specified or suggested; also used in the phrase or so<\/em> to indicate an estimate, approximation, or conjecture (It will cost about $500 or so<\/em>.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Using those definitions, let’s look at some sentence examples:<\/p>\n

so<\/em> (adv):<\/strong>\u00a0That outfit makes her look so<\/em> grown up.<\/p>\n

so<\/em> (conj):<\/strong>\u00a0The event was longer than we expected, so<\/em> we decided to leave early.<\/p>\n

so<\/em> (adj):<\/strong>\u00a0You might think the company is changing its policy, but that isn’t so<\/em>.<\/p>\n

so<\/em> (pron):<\/strong>\u00a0If you have to return the item, do so<\/em> in the next 30 days.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

M-W further points out that while some college handbooks renounce so<\/em> as an \u201cintensive\u201d for comparison (refer to the adverb example above), it still remains standard usage (e.g., Janice was so<\/em> intelligent that her teachers didn’t know what level to place her in).<\/p>\n

Another question concerns whether to use so<\/em> or so that<\/em> in clauses that communicate purpose (e.g., Sally stayed home [so<\/em> or so that<\/em>] I could go to the ball game). Both the Harbrace College Handbook<\/em> and The Rinehart Guide to Grammar and Usage<\/em> agree that so that<\/em> provides a clearer sentence structure and a better tone for formal writing.<\/p>\n

Uncertainty may also arise about how to link clauses including so<\/em> as a conjunction, as in the following examples:<\/p>\n

Pete is the fastest runner;<\/em> so<\/em> he’ll run the last leg of the 400-meter relay.<\/p>\n

Pete is the fastest runner, so<\/em> he’ll run the last leg of the 400-meter relay.<\/p>\n

Pete is the fastest runner, and so<\/em> he’ll run the last leg of the 400-meter relay.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Some grammar sources cite the first example above containing the two clauses separated by a semicolon as acceptable; GrammarBook views this style as outdated. Others prefer the second usage, two clauses separated by a comma and so<\/em> as a conjunction; we agree. A majority would forgo the use of and so<\/em> with a comma as an unnecessary doubling of conjunctions.<\/p>\n

On a similar note, grammar sources concur that writers should not rely on so<\/em> as an adverb to join ideas that would be better connected with a subordinate clause (one that cannot stand alone in a sentence). Conjoining ideas with so<\/em> should mainly give them equal emphasis.<\/p>\n

Examples<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Awkwardly reliant on so<\/em>:<\/strong> The speakers were friendly, so they got along with everyone, and they were well received.<\/p>\n

Better:<\/strong>\u00a0Because the speakers were friendly, they got along with everyone and were well received.<\/p>\n

Equal emphasis with so<\/em> as an adverb for conjunction:<\/strong>\u00a0The job required too much travel, so<\/em> I turned it down.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Putting these thoughts and guidelines into practice should help us rein in runaway so<\/em>‘s in formal writing, so<\/em> let’s commit to doing so<\/em>, shall we?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Pop Quiz<\/h2>\n

The following sentences include the main parts of speech for so defined in this article. Identify whether each use of so is an adverb, a conjunction, an adjective, or a pronoun.<\/p>\n

1. The item was too expensive, so<\/em> we didn’t buy it. [adv \/ conj \/ adj \/ pron]<\/p>\n

2. To do so<\/em> would be to risk alienating our allies in the cause. [adv \/ conj \/ adj \/ pron]<\/p>\n

3. You lost the ring down the drain? Tell me it isn’t so<\/em>! [adv \/ conj \/ adj \/ pron]<\/p>\n

4. He is so<\/em> quick that not even our fastest defender can keep up with him. [adv \/ conj \/ adj \/ pron]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pop Quiz Answers<\/h3>\n

1. The item was too expensive, so<\/em> we didn’t buy it. [conj<\/strong>]<\/p>\n

2. To do so<\/em> would be to risk alienating our allies in the cause. [pron<\/strong>]<\/p>\n

3. You lost the ring down the drain? Tell me it isn’t so<\/em>! [adj<\/strong>]<\/p>\n

4. He is so<\/em> quick that not even our fastest defender can keep up with him. [adv<\/strong>]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So: It’s among the shortest words in English, and use of it abounds. So, when are we going to meet up? That movie was so good. I so much want to be there. He’s not feeling well, so he probably won’t go to the meeting. The word has become a versatile agent for our language […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,13,10,8,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adjectives-adverbs","category-commas","category-definitions","category-pronouns","category-semicolons"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2828"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2828"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6756,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2828\/revisions\/6756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}