“So” is a word commonly used to mean “very” or “really.” For example, “he was so late.” The word is a vague intensifier and should either be cut from the sentence or accompanied by an explanation.
That is, the word “so” is incomplete without a “that” and a clause stating the result. If the unnamed male in the previous paragraph was late, a result must come of his tardiness. “He was so late that Marisa left without him.” The gentleman was given his fifteen-minute grace period. He blew his chances. He must now spend the evening at home with two-day-old pizza and TV reruns rather than join Marisa and company at the bowling alley.
It’s helpful to think of the word “so” in terms of “so what?” If the word “so” appears in a sentence, the right question to ask is “so what?” He was late. So what? Why does it matter? If it doesn’t matter, the sentence doesn’t need the vague qualifier. In fact, the sentence might not be at all necessary. Prune the thing from the copy and continue onward. If, however, an explanation is needed – perhaps Marisa was upset he was late or the bowling team was short a player – “so” should be accompanied by “that” and the subsequent explanation.
The guidelines for this word only apply in more formal writing and fiction; everyday emails and status updates don’t need to follow the principle. The word, though, is one to be observed because it often is a filler word. Cutting it will make for more powerful and persuasive prose.
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