Page 562 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

so and not with hope, believe etc 539
5 before adjectives and adverbs
We can use so before an adjective alone (without a noun) or an adverb. The milk was so good that we couldn't stop drinking it.
Why are you driving so fast?
So is not used with adjective + noun.
I didn't expect such terrible weather. (NOT ••• 56 terrible r.tJetlther.)
I enjoyed my stay in your country, which is so beautifuL (NOT : enjoyed my
SMY in Y8ttr 56 betltttifttl etlttntty.) For such, see 569.
6 so much, etc
We can use so much and so many (see 542), so few and so little with or without nouns.
I've bought so many new books I don't know when I'll read them. There were so few interesting people there that we decided to go home. I've read so much and learnt so little.
7 so and so much
We use so, not so much, before adjectives without nouns (see paragraph 5 above). Compare:
- She had so much heavy luggage that she couldn't carry it.
Her luggage was so heavy that she couldn't carry it. (NOT Her l~ttge was SB "tttM hetlfIY ...)
- I've never seen so much beautiful jewellery.
The jewellery is so beautiful! (NOT ••• 56 rlttteh betltttifttl!)
But we use so much, not so, before comparatives.
I'm glad you're feeling so much better. (NOT ••• 56 beHet'.)
8 so...asto...
There is a structure with so followed by adjective + as to + infinitive. This is formal and not very common.
Would you be so kind as to tell me the time? (= .•. kind enough to ...) (NOT W8ttlti18ftbestllei/ttitutti...OR W8ftltlyBftbeS8kindt6...)
9 so...a...
There is another rather formal structure with so + adjective + atan + noun (see 14).
I had never before met so gentle a person. (= .•• such a gentle person.)
539 so and not with hope, believe etc
1 instead of that-clauses.
We often use so after believe, hope, expect, imagine, suppose, guess, reckon, think, be afraid, instead of repeating words in a that-clause.
Is Alex here?-I think so. (NOT ••••' thinle thtltAIex is here.) Do you think we'll be in time? - I hope so. (NOT Ht6pe:) Did you lose? - I'm afraid so.
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