So, such and because of: what a storm! So and such exercises for B1 students
About this lesson
This B1 drill lesson gives so and such exercises with a result after that, plus so that for purpose and because or because of for reasons.
- Grammar
- So + adjective, adverb or many / much; such a + singular noun; such + plural or uncountable noun; so that for purpose; because + clause, because of / due to + noun.
- Topic
- A news story from Gullwater, an invented lake town: a twenty-minute summer storm stops a sailing race, pulls down eleven trees and drops hail on a flower farm.
- Activities
- Sorting, choices, typed gaps, tables, drag-and-drop, word order, matches, find-the-mistake quizzes, a memory game and a chat after the storm.
What's inside
Chapter 1The rule
Chapter 2So hot! Such a day!
- Choose the right words: so, such or such a / an?Choose the optionTry it
- Fill in the gaps: say how much or how manyFill in the gapsUnlock
- Fill in the table: say it with so and with suchFill in the tableUnlock
- Drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
Chapter 3Because of the rain
- Choose because or because ofChoose the optionUnlock
- Answer the questions: give the reasonFill in the gapsTry it
- Sort the endings: because or because of?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Read Fergus's message and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Write it another way: the same reasonFill in the gapsUnlock
- Find the mistake: reasonsQuizUnlock
- Read the train company's update and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 4What for? So that…
- Match the beginnings and the endings: what for?MatchTry it
- Choose so that or becauseChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: purpose, reason or result?Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Drag the words into the gaps: mixed sentencesDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: what for?UnjumbleUnlock
- Which is right? Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
- Read Leocadia's tips and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: Hail on the lake
- Read the news storyReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the news story again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read Ophelia's post and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Callum's interview with Freya and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Torben's message and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Zelda texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right words: a weekend awayChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: why did it happen?Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Sort the phrases: so, such or such a / an?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Fill in the table: one sentence with so, one with suchFill in the tableUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: so … that, such … thatUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endings: reasons, results, purposesMatchUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: the same meaningMemory gameUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
- Choose the right words: purpose, reason or resultChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: why and what for?Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Drag the words into the gaps: new sentencesDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Jolene's email and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Cassius's forum post and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Find the mistake: so, such and becauseQuizUnlock
- Read Yuki's postcard and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
Grammar: so, such, so that and because of
So and such make a word stronger, often with a result after that: It was such a strong wind that it pulled down a tree. The choice depends on what comes next, so learners look at the next word before they pick. The lesson adds so that for a purpose and because or because of for a reason.
So, such, so that and because of
Say how strong something was and what happened (so / such … that), what someone does it for (so that) and why it happened (because / because of).
So + adjective, such a + adjective + noun
So goes before an adjective or adverb alone: The lake was so cold. She drove so fast. Such a or such an goes before a singular noun: such an old tree, such a mess. A plural or uncountable noun takes such with no a: such big hailstones, such bad weather.
How strong? And what happened?
so + adjective · such (a) + adjective + noun(that)what happened
The wind was so strong (that) it pulled down a tree.
It was such a strong wind (that) it pulled down a tree.
There were so many people that we couldn't get in.
So or such? Look at the next words
| Next words | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| an adjective | so | The lake was so cold. · I'm so tired! |
| an adverb | so | She drove so fast that she got a ticket. |
| much / many / few / little + noun | so | so many boats · so much rain · so few people |
| a / an + (adjective +) singular noun | such a / such an | such a strong wind · such an old tree · such a mess |
| adjective + plural noun | such (no a) | such big hailstones · such nice neighbors |
| adjective + uncountable noun | such (no a) | such bad weather · such good advice |
| a lot of + noun | such | such a lot of rain = so much rain |
So much, so many and such a lot of
So many goes with plural nouns and so much with uncountable ones: so many boats, so much rain. Such a lot of works with both, but such many and such much are wrong.
No a with plural and uncountable nouns
such bad weather, such good advice, such nice people (not: such a bad weather). Look at much and many too: so many people, so much traffic (not: so much people, such many people). such a lot of works with both: such a lot of people, such a lot of traffic.
So that for purpose, comma + so for result
So that says what someone does something for, often with can, could, will or would: Speak up so that everyone can hear you. After a comma, so gives the result: It got dark, so we went home. After so and such, that often drops out.
So that or so?
so that = purpose: what you do it for
- I set two alarms so that I wouldn't be late.
- Speak up so that everyone can hear you.
- Often + can / could / will / would, or a present verb: Wrap the glasses so that they don't break.
, so = result: what happened next
- My alarm didn't ring, so I was late.
- It got dark, so we went home.
- Usually after a comma.
Short ways to say it
We often leave out that: It was so cold (that) the lake froze. In purpose sentences, people often say just so: Speak up so everyone can hear you. You can also give a reason with since or as: Since it was late, we took a taxi.
Because, because of and due to
A full clause follows because: We stayed inside because it was raining. A noun follows because of and due to: because of the rain, due to the high waves. Due to sounds a little more formal.
| Words | + what? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| because | subject + verb: the reason | We stayed inside because it was raining. |
| because of | a noun: the reason | We stayed inside because of the rain. |
| due to | a noun: the reason (a little formal) | The ferry didn't run due to the high waves. |
| so that | subject + verb, often can / could / will / would: the purpose | I left early so that I could catch the bus. |
| , so | subject + verb: the result | The bus was late, so I took a taxi. |
Common mistakes
Four slips to watch: such hot that (say so hot), so a nice day (say such a nice day), because of it was late (drop of) and because the rain (add of).
Common mistakes
The soup was such hot that I couldn't eat it.
The soup was so hot that I couldn't eat it.
an adjective alone → so
It was so a nice day!
It was such a nice day!
a / an + noun → such a / such an
We left because of it was late.
We left because it was late.
because + subject + verb
The game stopped because the rain.
The game stopped because of the rain.
because of / due to + noun
Examples
- The hailstones were so big that they broke car windows.so + adjective + that
- We've had such awful weather this week!such + adjective + uncountable noun, no a
- There were so many fallen trees that the road was closed.so many + plural noun
- It was such a loud storm the dog hid under the bed.such a + adjective + noun; no that
- We moved the chairs inside so that the wind couldn't blow them away.so that: purpose
- Our flight was late because of the fog.because of + noun (= due to)
More lessons on this grammar: Linking words lessons and exercises
Try the so and such exercises
Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.
What's in the lesson
- 42 auto-checked exercises
- 4 games
- 1 real-life document
- 1 grammar scheme
- 1 picture
The main objectives of this lesson are to:
- choose so or such by the next words: so cold, so many people, such a long day, such bad weather
- add a result with that, or leave it out: The wind was so strong that it pulled down eleven trees.
- drop a before plural and uncountable nouns: such good advice, not such a good advice
- say what something is for with so that: I set two alarms so that I wouldn't oversleep.
- give a reason with because + clause or because of + noun: because it was late, because of the fog
English Grammar Practice · B1 numbers this drill lesson 23, and it belongs on the linking words page. Lesson 22, Although, however, despite: great view, tiny room, comes before it, and lesson 24, Phrasal verbs: who's going to clean it up?, after. There are no new words to learn, so a teacher can add it to any course for a round of work on result, purpose and reason.
After the picture and the scheme, chapter 1 sets four drills, among them a sort of phrases into so and such. So hot! Such a day! practices both shapes, Because of the rain ends with a train company's update, and What for? So that… ends with Leocadia's tips for long flights. Hail on the lake has the news story, Ophelia's farm post, an interview with the race officer, Torben's message, a chat with Zelda and a 12-question test.
Homework is 15 more self-checking tasks: a weekend away, reasons and purposes, a table with one sentence of each kind, a memory game of matching meanings, Jolene's email from a summer job in Montana, Cassius's forum post about a road trip and Yuki's postcard from the mountains.
- Grammar:
- so / such … that · so that · because / because of · due to
- Topic:
- grammar practice · weather · storms · news
Teaching tips
- Cover the word after the gap, then uncover it: cold calls for so, a cold night for such, cold nights for such as well. Students see that the next words do the choosing.
- Build one storm two ways before the news story: The wind was so strong that… and It was such a strong wind that… Groups finish each sentence with a different result.
- Ask what the sentence is for: a reason (because), a purpose (so that) or a result (, so). Students hold up one of three cards before they choose.
- Swap because and because of out loud: read because of the rain, students change it to because it was raining, then turn a few clauses back into nouns.
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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · B1
English Grammar Practice · B1 has 28 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the present perfect continuous, narrative tenses, future forms, modals of deduction, the second conditional, the passive, relative clauses, reported speech, question tags and linkers. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course
- 1Present perfect continuous: how long have you been doing it?
- 2Present perfect simple or continuous: how many or how long?
- 3Past perfect: what had happened before?
- 4Narrative tenses: telling a great story
- 5Future forms: plans, promises and timetables
- 6Future time clauses: I'll call you when I land
- 7Used to, be used to, get used to: settling in
- 8Modal verbs: can, must, should or might?
- 9Could, was able to, managed to: did you make it?
- 10Modals of deduction: whose bag could it be?
- 11Second conditional: what would you do?
- 12Conditionals compared: real or imagined?
- 13Present and past passive: how is it made?
- 14Passive in other tenses: what's being done?
- 15Relative clauses: the person who, the place where
- 16Reported statements: who said what?
- 17Reported questions and commands: what did they ask you?
- 18Indirect questions: could you tell me where it is?
- 19Question tags: it's your first day, isn't it?
- 20Gerunds and infinitives: enjoy doing or decide to do?
- 21Reflexive pronouns: did you make it yourself?
- 22Although, however, despite: great view, tiny room
- 23So, such and because of: what a storm!
- 24Phrasal verbs: who's going to clean it up?
- 25All, both, either, neither, none: two or a whole group?
- 26-ed and -ing adjectives: bored or boring?
- 27Advanced comparatives: the more, the better
- 28Articles with place names: the Nile, but Lake Como