Practice
Result clauses: show an outcome
Sign in to saveThe hall was so crowded that we waited outside. The first part describes a strong situation, and the clause after that tells the reader what happened because of it.
Use so or such with that to show the outcome of a strong degree, amount, or quality in a clear English sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
The hall was so crowded that we waited outside. /dhə hɔːl wəz səʊ ˈkraʊ.dɪd dhæt wiː ˈweɪ.tɪd aʊtˈsaɪd/
The short answer
Use so before an adjective, an adverb, or an amount word. Use such before a noun phrase. Add that and a complete clause to say what happened: The room was so cold that we closed the window.
The hall was so crowded that we waited outside.
Why it works: So comes before the adjective crowded. The clause after that gives the outcome of the crowding.
5 more examples
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It was such a long meeting that the cafe closed before we left.
Such introduces the singular noun phrase a long meeting. The result follows after that.
Not this:The meeting was
so long thatthe cafe closed before we left. What changes: So works when long is used as an adjective after the verb was, without a noun following it. -
The instructions were so clear that everyone started without help.
Clear is an adjective, so the pattern begins with so. Everyone started without help is the outcome.
Not this:The instructions were
clear enoughfor everyone to start without help. What changes: Enough can describe a sufficient degree, but its structure is different from so adjective that plus a result clause. -
There was so much traffic that we missed the first train.
Traffic is uncountable, so much is the right amount phrase. The missed train is the result.
Not this:There were
so many delays thatwe missed the first train. What changes: Delays is plural and countable, so use many instead of much. -
She spoke so quietly that I could not hear the last question.
Quietly describes how she spoke, so it is an adverb after so. The listener's difficulty is the result.
Not this:She spoke
clearly enoughfor me to hear the last question. What changes: Enough plus for and a person can show a sufficient degree, but it does not use a that result clause. -
They had such useful notes that they shared copies with the group.
Such comes before the adjective useful and the plural noun notes. The sharing happened because the notes were useful.
Not this:Their notes were
so useful thatthey shared copies with the group. What changes: So works when useful is an adjective after were and the noun notes does not follow it.
Read the full guide
Find the word that describes the cause. If it is an adjective or adverb, begin with so. If you need an adjective and a noun together, begin with such. Then make the words after that into a complete clause with a subject and verb.
See the cause and the outcome
A result clause has two linked ideas. The first describes a strong degree, amount, or quality. The second tells what happened because of it. Read both parts together before you decide which word belongs in the gap.
The hall was so crowded that we waited outside.
The hall was so crowded gives the cause. We waited outside gives the outcome. That introduces the complete clause that explains the outcome.
Which part tells the reader what happened because the hall was crowded?
We waited outside is the result clause. It has a subject, we, and a verb, waited.
Use so with adjectives and adverbs
Choose so when the next word is an adjective or adverb. An adjective describes a thing or situation, such as clear or crowded. An adverb describes an action, such as quietly or carefully.
The instructions were so clear that everyone started without help.
Clear is an adjective after were, so it follows so. The words after that make a full clause: everyone started without help.
She spoke so quietly that I could not hear the last question.
Quietly describes the action spoke. It is an adverb, so it also follows so.
Choose so or such: The road was ___ narrow that the bus could not pass.
Use so: The road was so narrow that the bus could not pass. Narrow is an adjective after was.
Use such with noun phrases
Choose such when you need to introduce a noun phrase. With one countable noun, use such a or such an before the adjective and noun. With plural or uncountable nouns, use such before the whole noun phrase.
It was such a long meeting that the cafe closed before we left.
A long meeting is a singular countable noun phrase. Such comes before all of it, including a and the adjective long.
They had such useful notes that they shared copies with the group.
Useful notes is a plural noun phrase, so it does not need a. Such introduces the adjective and noun together.
Complete the sentence: It was ___ an unusual delay that the office sent an update.
Use such: It was such an unusual delay that the office sent an update. An unusual delay is a singular noun phrase.
Match so with an amount word
Use so much with an uncountable noun and so many with a plural countable noun. You can also use so little and so few to show a small amount that causes an outcome. The noun tells you which phrase you need.
There was so much traffic that we missed the first train.
Traffic is uncountable, so much fits. You cannot normally count traffic as separate items in this meaning.
There were so many delays that we missed the first train.
Delays is plural and countable. Many shows a large number of separate delays.
Choose many or much: There were so ___ messages that Noor answered them the next morning.
Use many because messages is a plural countable noun: There were so many messages that Noor answered them the next morning.
Keep a complete clause after that
After that, give the reader a complete outcome. A complete clause usually has a subject and a verb. Do not stop after a noun phrase, because the sentence still needs to explain what happened.
The shop was so busy that the staff opened another desk.
The staff opened another desk has a subject, the staff, and a verb, opened. It can stand as a complete statement about the result.
The shop was so busy that another desk.
Another desk is only a noun phrase. Add an action to make the result clear: the staff opened another desk.
Which ending is complete: that the lights went out or that the lights?
Use that the lights went out. The subject is the lights, and went out gives the action.
Separate so that from enough
So adjective that and enough have related meanings, but they use different structures. Use so adjective that before a complete result clause. Use adjective enough before for plus a person and to plus a verb, or before to plus a verb when no person is named.
The instructions were so clear that everyone started without help.
The clause after that has its own subject and verb. The sentence focuses on the outcome of the clear instructions.
The instructions were clear enough for everyone to start without help.
Clear enough is followed by for everyone to start, not by a that clause. Both sentences are possible, but their grammar is different.
Which pattern needs a complete clause after that?
So adjective that needs a complete clause after that. Enough uses a different ending, often to plus a verb.
Before you go
Remember this
Use so before an adjective, adverb, or amount phrase. Use such before a noun phrase, including such a plus a singular countable noun. Add that and a complete clause to show the outcome. Check whether the word after so or such is a noun, an adjective, an adverb, or an amount word before you choose the pattern.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Result clauses: show an outcome"
What is a result clause?
A result clause tells the reader what happened because of a strong degree, amount, or quality. In The hall was so crowded that we waited outside, the words after that explain the outcome of the crowded hall.
The hall was so crowded that we waited outside.
When do I use so in a result clause?
Use so before an adjective, an adverb, or an amount phrase. You can say so clear that, so quietly that, so much traffic that, or so many delays that. The words after that should form a complete clause.
The hall was crowded, so we waited outside.
When do I use such in a result clause?
Use such before a noun phrase. Say such a long meeting for a singular countable noun, or such useful notes for a plural noun phrase. Add that and the outcome after the noun phrase.
It was such a long meeting that the cafe closed before we left.
What is the difference between so much and so many?
Use so much with an uncountable noun, such as traffic, time, or water. Use so many with a plural countable noun, such as delays, messages, or forms. The noun after the amount word tells you which phrase fits.
The meeting was so long that the cafe closed before we left.
Can I use enough instead of so or such?
Enough can express a sufficient degree, but it has a different structure. Compare The instructions were so clear that everyone started without help with The instructions were clear enough for everyone to start without help. The first sentence uses a that result clause.
The instructions were so clear that everyone started without help.