So and such

So and such are used to make the meaning of an adjective or adverb stronger.

suchSuch comes before a (adjective +) noun:
• "Freestyle skiing is such (good) fun!"
• "Sorry, but that is just such nonsense!" 

Such comes before a or an:
• "Juno is such a good film!"
• "That is such a load of rubbish!"You can't say: "That is so a nonsense!"

soSo comes before an adjective or an adverb without a noun:
• "Robert is so good-looking."
• "They work so well together."

So is also used before much, many, few and little:
• "I can't believe it costs so much!"
• "So little is being done for the victims."
• "Do you have to take so many?"
• "It was hardly worth it: so few people turned up."

What watch?

In the famous scene from Casablanca, the following dialogue takes place between Herr and Frau Leuchtag, who are planning to go to America and have been practising their English in preparation:
* Liebchen, sweetnessheart — what watch?
- Ten watch.
* Such much?

What they should have said is:
* Darling, what time is it?
- Ten o'clock.
* So late?
But that wouldn't have been funny at all!

Now try the exercise on the next page.

Dagmar Taylor