A Dozen or So Ways to Use "SO" in American English

Hi everyone. I'm Jennifer from English with  Jennifer. So, what are we going to talk about?  

I just gave you a hint. Let's look at different  ways we use "so" in American English. This word  

is so very common. You'll certainly hear it a  lot, so I think you'll find the lesson useful.

"So" can be a conjunction, an adverb, or a  pronoun. "So" as a coordinating conjunction  

shows a result. Remember my old hair style?  That's me without bangs. A few different  

people told me I'd look better with bangs,  so I decided to cut my hair a few years ago.  

Why did I cut my hair? Because a few  different people told me I'd look better.  

"So" joins two independent clauses  together. We use a comma before the  

conjunction to separate the two ideas. The two  ideas could stand alone as separate sentences,  

but we join them together with "so"  to show the relationship: a result.

"So" means "That's why" or "For that  reason." A few different people told  

me I'd look better with bangs, so I  decided to cut my hair a few years ago.

Finish my sentences. Charlie has an  important job interview next week,  

so... What will happen? What is he going to do?

Becca dropped her phone. Now  the screen is cracked, so...

What is the result?

If "so" introduces a result, then "so  that" introduces a reason for something.  

It has the meaning of "in order to." For  example, I wear glasses at the computer  

so that I can read more easily and  protect my eyes from the blue light.

Sometimes "that" is dropped, but we can still  understand the meaning from context. I wear  

glasses at the computer so that I can read more  easily and protect my eyes from the blue light.  

Note how we don't need a comma before  "so that." Finish these sentences.  

Charlie practiced answering  interview questions so that...

Why did he do that?

Becca bought a screen protector for her phone  so that... What was her reason for doing that?

How else is "so" used as a conjunction?  "So" can be a transition word when we speak.  

You really shouldn't start a  sentence with "so" when you write,  

but in everyday conversation, it's  completely natural. So, as I was saying...

So, let's move on.

So, let's begin. So, getting back to what we were  talking about... A different transition phrase  

is "even so." We can use this in speaking or in  writing. It's somewhat similar to "Yes, but..."  

or "In any case..." Becca now has  a screen protector on her phone.  

Even so, she'll need to be more  careful. It can still get damaged.

Even so, I think I'm going to pick Ross.  Well, even so, sometimes you know people.  

"So" can be a very convenient pronoun. We use  it to refer back to what we just said. Here's an  

example. Do you want to study beyond my videos?  If so, consider private or group instruction.

"If so" means "In that case," and  I don't have to repeat my words.  

They're understood. Here "if so" means  "if you want to study beyond my videos."

If you're genuinely interested  in private or group instruction,  

visit me on Patreon. I have different  tiers to meet different needs.

How else can "so" be used as a pronoun? Well,  

have you ever heard someone give an order and  not explain why it has to be done? It just does.  

A parent could tell a child that something must be  done, "Because I said so." It's like saying, "You  

have to do it because I said you have to do it."  The parent has the authority to give this order.  

I mean now. Why? Because I said so. Why not?  Because I said so! Because I said so. That's why.  

There's a humorous way we can praise ourselves.  We can give ourselves a pat on the back  

with the expression "if I say so  myself" or "if i do say so myself."

For example, this past weekend, my  daughter and I created a garden on  

one side of our house, and I think it  looks pretty good, if I say so myself.

How's the coffee? Now, pretty  good, if I do say so myself.

I clean up nice, if I do say so myself.

If I tell you I need 10 hours or so to  make a video, what am I telling you?  

I need more than 10 hours? I need less  than 10 hours? I need about 10 hours?

We use "or so" to estimate an amount. It's like  "about." It's true. I need about 10 hours to make  

a video, from the time I start writing my ideas  to the time I edit captions and press "publish."  

If it's a complex grammar video, I  need 15 hours or so. Maybe even 20.

Let's do a quick check. Recall the uses of "so."  Match the words to their meanings or purposes.

There's another way "so"  helps us avoid being specific.  

We can use "only so much" or "only so many" to  make a general reference to a limited amount.  

Budget your time wisely. There  are only so many hours in a day.

There's only so much one person  can do. Go easy on yourself.

Here we're using "so" as an adverb. Only  so much. Only so many. How would you finish  

these sentences? Every week, I  only have so many hours to...

I need hours or so to...

When it comes to..., I only have so much  patience. Share your ideas in the comments.

"So much for that" is used when something  doesn't work out. We start out with strong  

expectations or good intentions, but  then for some reason, we can't continue.  

This is often said with  frustration and disappointment.

We use "so much for" plus something positive,  something that we wanted. So much for friendship.  

So much for trust and honesty.  So much for that idea.

So much for togetherness.

So much for diplomacy.

So much for that idea.

Sometimes you need to guess the meaning of a new  expression. Pay attention to tone of voice and  

facial expressions. Let's practice doing this.  Can you guess the meaning of "If you say so"?

No. Philanthropy is the gateway to power.  

If you say so. All you need to do is  stick to chatting about the weather.  

If you say so. Is the speaker confused? Is the  speaker agreeing? Is the speaker disagreeing?

"If you say so" expresses agreement, but  with hesitation. The person is reluctant to  

believe that something is true. Watch those scenes  again. No. Philanthropy is the gateway to power.  

If you say so. All you need to do is  stick to chatting about the weather.  

If you say so. Guess the meaning  of this expression. Is that so?

Is that so? The two of you were making me and  every one of your friends sick. Is that so?  

Is that so? What does it mean when we say,  "Is that so?" Are we asking, "Is that true?  

Is that good? Is that bad?"

"Is that so" is used to ask if something is  true. We can use it in anger. Is that so?  

Or surprise. Is that so? Is that so? The two of  you were making me and every one of your friends  

sick. Is that so? Is that so? "So" as an adverb is  used for emphasis. It's an intensifier. I'm sure  

you've heard this use before. Remember my haircut?  Well, when I came home from the hair salon,  

my kids were so surprised they thought I looked so  very different with bangs. Well, now they're used  

to seeing me this way. "So" is like "very." We can  also use "so" before "very" to mean "extremely."  

We can use "so" or "so very" before an  adjective or an adverb. She's so, so  

tired. Don't be so mean. We can use the structure  "so...that" for emphasis and to express a result.  

I guess I looked so different that  my kids almost didn't recognize me.  

This is like saying, "Because I looked so  different, my kids almost didn't recognize me. How  

different? Very different. So different that there  was a result: they almost didn't recognize me.

By the way, a lot of jokes in  American English use the structure  

"so...that." For example, they're so  rich they don't even know what a penny  

is. The smallest amount of money  they know is a hundred-dollar bill.

If you search online, you'll find a  lot of silly but offensive jokes about  

people being so dumb. There are  some jokes that are part of a ritual  

where two guys take turns insulting each other's  mother. Like, "Your mother's so dumb that..."  

There's a whole category  of jokes called "yo momma."  

Again, they're offensive, but they're meant as a  joke. They're not always used to genuinely insult  

another person's mother. Kids may do this to  test their creativity and be silly. Some yo momma  

jokes are really stupid, but sometimes they're so  stupid they're actually funny Here's one I found  

online. See if you get the humor. Yo momma is so  stupid she went to the dentist to get a Bluetooth.

Here's the final expression. It just so happens  that this expresses good luck or something  

happening by chance. For example, let's say  there's a big concert and you want to go,  

but you can't find tickets. You want to go  to the concert? Well, it just so happens I  

have two tickets and I can't go. I can sell  my tickets to you. Isn't that fortunate?

Well, it just so happens that  I've packed my overnight bag.  

Let's do a quick check. Recall the uses of "so."  Match the words to their meanings or purposes.

There are more uses of "so," but will end here.  Please watch my Basic English lesson on "So do I"  

for agreement. You can also watch my  vocabulary lesson on uses of "again,"  

where I explain "every so often"  is like "every now and again."

Go back and review as needed. Please like  and share the video if you found the lesson  

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