so that

IPA/sˌəʊ ðˈat/
IPA/sˌoʊ ðˈæt/

so that — 慣用語

1. used to connect an action to its intended goal or purpose; introducing a clause

1.慣用語B1
釋義

以便；為了

引導表示目的的子句

used to connect an action to its intended goal or purpose; introducing a clause that says why someone does something.

例句

Indra left work early so that she could pick up her son from school.

Indra 提早下班，以便去學校接兒子。

modal: could for ability in purpose clause

Haruto set an alarm so that he would not miss the morning meeting.

Haruto 設了鬧鐘，以便不錯過早上的會議。

modal: would + negative for purpose

同義詞
  • in order that

    more formal; common in academic and legal writing

  • to

    shorter infinitive form; only works when the subject is the same in both clauses ('She left early to catch the bus' = 'She left early so that she could catch the bus')

  • so as to

    somewhat formal; followed by infinitive ('He spoke quietly so as not to wake the baby')

文法句型

so that + clause with modal (can/could/will/would)

用法筆記

Commonly followed by a clause with 'can', 'could', 'will', 'would', 'may', or 'might'. Without a modal verb, the clause is read as a result rather than a purpose.

常見錯誤

She studied hard so that she passed the exam.
She studied hard so that she could pass the exam.
A purpose clause needs a modal verb (could) to show intention; without it, the clause sounds like a statement of what actually happened.

2. used to connect a situation to its consequence; introducing a clause that states

2.慣用語B2
釋義

因此；結果

引導表示結果的子句

used to connect a situation to its consequence; introducing a clause that states what happened as a result of the earlier action or event.

例句

A heavy storm damaged the roof, so that rain water leaked into the kitchen below.

一場大暴雨損壞了屋頂，結果雨水漏進了下面的廚房。

result clause with past tense indicative

Mira's suitcase was extremely large, so that she struggled to fit it into the taxi.

Mira 的行李箱非常大，因此她很費力才把它放進計程車裡。

同義詞
  • so

    shorter and more informal; standard in everyday speech

  • such that

    more formal; often used in technical or mathematical writing

  • with the result that

    fuller form; same register as 'so that' in result sense

文法句型

clause + so that + clause (indicative)

用法筆記

More common in formal written English than in everyday conversation. In casual speech, speakers usually use 'so' alone to introduce a result ('I was tired, so I went to bed'). Distinguish from 'so ... that' (degree structure: 'The bag was so heavy that I could not carry it').

常見錯誤

It was so hot, so that the ice cream melted quickly.
It was so hot that the ice cream melted quickly.
'so...that' expresses degree (how hot it was); 'so that' introduces a consequence of a separate event.