although so

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "although so" is not correct and cannot be used in written English.
You can say "although" or "so," but not together. For example: I wanted to go shopping today, but it's raining. Although it's disappointing, I can still find something to do indoors.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Although so much time has passed, I remember almost everything in vivid detail.

Independent

Others are entertaining the possibility, although so far it has not become a trend.

The New York Times - Sports

The village (pop. 240, although so far we have only seen about 12 people) is on a hilltop, and typical.

The New York Times

Although So Legit reflects on a past friendship, there's no evidence they were friends before becoming famous.

The Guardian - Music

They have a reputation for doing it in the ring, although so far not with each other.

The New York Times - Sports

Sumptuously illustrated, it is the bible for whale watchers, although so far I've resisted ticking off the species I've seen.

The Guardian - Books

At least five Islamic schools have recently applied to be free schools, although so far only one has been approved.

The Guardian

Although so far its only destination is Turkey, it plans to expand to Dubai and Egypt, and will tailormake itineraries.

The Guardian - Travel

They have fielded over 1,000 inquiries this year, although, so far, actual applications total just 20.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Although so-called productive outs are relatively harmful, purists love them as selfless displays of teamwork.

The New York Times

Although so-called category killer stores often face opposition in small towns, the permitting process for Lisbon Landing went smoothly.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "although so" in formal writing. Choose "although" or other alternatives to maintain grammatical correctness.

Common error

The word "so" is redundant when used with "although". "Although" already implies a contrast, making "so" unnecessary and grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "although so" attempts to function as a conjunction, aiming to introduce a clause that contrasts with the main clause. However, Ludwig AI points out its incorrectness. The intended function is to express concession or contrast, similar to "although" or "even though".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While "although so" appears frequently across diverse sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. It's intended to function as a conjunction expressing contrast or concession, similar to "although" or "even though". Due to its incorrectness, it's best to avoid "although so" in formal writing and opt for grammatically sound alternatives like "although", "even though", or "while" to maintain clarity and credibility. The phrase's redundancy stems from "although" already implying a contrast, rendering "so" unnecessary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

although

This removes the "so", resulting in a grammatically correct conjunction expressing contrast or concession.

even though

This phrase provides a stronger sense of contrast or concession compared to "although so".

though

A more informal synonym for "although", expressing a similar sense of concession.

while

This alternative conveys a sense of contrast while also implying simultaneity.

whilst

A more formal synonym for "while", maintaining the sense of contrast.

in spite of

This prepositional phrase introduces a contrasting element despite something else.

despite

Similar to "in spite of", this preposition indicates that something occurs even with an obstacle.

however

This adverb introduces a contrasting statement, often used to correct or qualify a previous statement.

nevertheless

A more formal version of "however", signaling a contrast or contradiction.

even if

This phrase introduces a hypothetical situation that doesn't change the main clause's outcome.

FAQs

Is "although so" grammatically correct?

No, "although so" is grammatically incorrect. It's better to use "although" or other alternatives such as "even though".

What can I use instead of "although so"?

You can replace "although so" with "although", "though", "even though", or "while" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "although" and "although so"?

"Although" is a correct conjunction used to introduce a clause that contrasts with the main clause. "Although so" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided.

How to use "although" in a sentence?

You can use "although" to connect two contrasting ideas. For example, "Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk."