We can use the word “so” when telling an action or a result that happens for a reason. Compare “so” and “because”.
We use “so + action/result” and “because + reason/cause”.
- I didn’t go outside because it was raining.
- It was raining, so I didn’t go outside.
- She didn’t like it, so she threw it away.
- She didn’t like it because it was too salty.
- He will come, so I am excited.
- He will come because I asked him to help us.
Reason/Cause, + so + action/result
- It rained in the afternoon, so we stayed inside.
- She didn’t call me on my birthday, so I was angry at her.
- My family will visit us next week, so I will be busy.
- This restaurant has the best pasta, so it is popular around here.
- She is nice, so everybody likes her.
- There is a park here, so there are many kids in this area.
- The dog is big, so all the children are afraid of it.
- The weather looks good, so we should take a walk.
The two sentences do not need to be in the same tense.
- She has been studying hard, so I think she will pass the test.
- We are working hard, so I think will be successful.
- I exercised hard yesterday, so I am tired today.
- We traveled a lot last year, so we will not travel this year.
We can use “so” in the middle of the sentence or at the beginning of a sentence. We use a comma before “so” when it is used in the middle of a sentence. We use a comma after the word “so” when it is the first word of a sentence. But, they both have the same meaning.
- She is tired, so she will go home early today.
- It was good, so I want to eat more.
- That movie looks good. So, I want to see it soon.
- He is smart. So, I think that he will get the job.
Bonus Tips and Points
1. We often use the question “So what?” to ask why a person is telling us something or asking why something is important. We usually use this to show that we do not care or that we think something is not important.
Be careful. This expression is considered kind of rude. It shows that we are not very interested in what the other person said. It is best to only use this with your friends in a joking way.
A) I won the game.
B) So what?
A) I got a new job.
B) So what?
A) So, you should be proud of me.
A) She will not come to our party.
B) So what?
A) So, I am angry.
2. Remember that we can also use the word “so” the same way as the word “very”. Put it before an adjective.
- She is so pretty.
- It was so expensive that I couldn’t believe it.
- That guy is so tall.
- These cookies are so good.
Real-World English Conversations
A) I hate exercise.
B) So, don’t do it.
A) I have to exercise, so I can be healthy.
A) I was thinking about getting a dog.
B) Why didn’t you?
A) They are too much work, so I decided not to get one.
A) It is expensive, so I don’t think I will get it.
B) That’s true, but the quality is great. So, it will last for a long time.
A) He never shuts up, so everybody hates working next to him.
B) I know what you mean because I used to sit next to him.
Study these free English lessons to improve your English speaking. If you learn these common sentence patterns well, then your English speaking will improve greatly and you will be able to have fluent conversations in English in the near future! Study the lessons well, practice using the sentences and questions at home and in real life, and make sure to come back to review the material so you do not forget. If you do these three things, then you will be speaking English like a native English speaker in no time!
English Sentence Patterns for Speaking Index
