Distinguishing So That & Such That: Key Differences

So That vs Such That

Understanding the distinction between so that and such that can enhance your knowledge of English grammar. Grammar in any language can be challenging at times, primarily due to its nature of possessing numerous grammatical features that can be confusing. This is often due to similarities in orthography or pronunciation. Additionally, two words may appear so alike that their actual differences are easily overlooked. English grammar also has a vast number of words falling under some part of speech category that are prone to confusion and are therefore often mistakenly used interchangeably. So that and such that are two such English words that are frequently confused by many. Despite the apparent similarity of the two words, there is little in common in their meaning or function. Although it might seem difficult, these two words do have a subtle difference in meaning.

Key Takeaways

• So that and such that are different in form; so is an adverb that is followed by the conjunction that, whereas such is an adjective that is followed by the same conjunction.
• So that denotes the purpose or the effect of something or it carries the idea ‘in order that’, while such that emphasizes the manner or the way to which extent something is described.
• So is followed by an adjective where it acts as a modifier, whereas such is followed by an article+noun form where it acts as an element that places an emphasis.

What does So That mean?

The conjunction so that is widely used in English grammar to indicate the purpose of something or to provide an explanation for something. This conjunction can be used either together or separately. So that means ‘with the result of that’, or ‘in order that’.
E.g.
• He checked carefully, so that the mistakes were caught.
• It was so hot there that we had to take a bath for the third time.
When used separately or detached, the adverb so is followed by an adjective and when used together, the conjunction so that is often followed by a noun or a noun phrase. The conjunction so that is used in a subordinate clause in a sentence where the purpose or the effect denoted by the main clause is presented by the subordinate clause.

What does Such That mean?

The words such that are formed when the adjective such is followed by the conjunction that to denote the meaning of ‘to the extent that’. It is used to create emphasis on something. Just like so that, such that can be used together or separately.
e.g.
• I spoke to my teacher such that she took me to the principal.
• It was such a lovely dress that I fell in love with it the moment I saw it.
When used together, such that denotes the idea ‘in a manner that’ or ‘in a way that.’ When used separately, such is often followed by an [article + noun] format. Like so that, such that is used in a subordinate clause in a sentence.

What is the difference between So That and Such That?

• So that and such that differ in form; so is an adverb followed by the conjunction that, whereas such is an adjective followed by the same conjunction.
• So that denotes the purpose or the effect of something or conveys the idea ‘in order that,’ while such that emphasizes the manner or the way to which extent something is described.
• So is followed by an adjective where it acts as a modifier, whereas such is followed by an article+noun form where it acts as an element that places emphasis.
Although these differences are subtle, they demonstrate that so that and such that are two seemingly similar but distinctly different word phrases in English grammar.