so good that

USAGE SUMMARY

"so good that" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is generally used to emphasize the greatness of something. For example, "The food was cooked so good that everyone wanted to eat it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

He looked so good that his teachers were suspicious.

The New Yorker

Our team is so good that we hired from within.

The New York Times

So good that Roddick needed to share his delight.

The New York Times - Sports

("I want to be so good that it scares me").

The New York Times - Arts

The acting was so good that people fainted.

The Guardian

It was so good that I forgot the question.

The New York Times - Food

It's so good that I reviewed it here".

The Guardian - Sport

Some ideas are so good that everyone wants a piece.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

We are so good that no one ever finds it!

The New Yorker

So good that the stock hit $122.25 in January 2000.

The New York Times

Ogden was so good that he made playing left tackle look easy.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "so good that" to emphasize a positive quality or attribute that directly leads to a notable consequence or outcome. This construction effectively highlights cause-and-effect relationships.

Common error

While versatile, overuse of "so good that" in formal writing can make your tone sound less sophisticated. Opt for more nuanced language to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "so good that" functions as a degree adverb modifying an adjective ("good"), followed by a result clause indicating the consequence of that high degree. Ludwig examples confirm this pattern, demonstrating its role in expressing cause-and-effect relationships.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Science

16%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "so good that" is a grammatically sound and frequently used construction to emphasize the degree of a positive attribute and its consequential outcome. Ludwig's analysis of numerous examples confirms its widespread use across diverse contexts, primarily in news and media. While adaptable, it's crucial to acknowledge that in specific formal writing scenarios, choosing more sophisticated substitutes might be preferable. As confirmed by Ludwig, its versatile nature allows for impactful communication in numerous settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sufficiently good that

Replaces "so" with "sufficiently", indicating an adequate level of goodness leading to a result.

particularly good that

Emphasizes the exceptional quality using "particularly" instead of "so".

very good that

Simple substitution of "so" with "very", maintaining a similar level of emphasis.

exceptionally good that

Uses "exceptionally" to denote an even higher degree of goodness.

remarkably good that

Indicates that the goodness is noteworthy or surprising.

impressively good that

Suggests the goodness is capable of making a strong, positive impression.

outstandingly good that

Highlights the superior or exceptional nature of the goodness.

incredibly good that

Emphasizes the surprising or unbelievable nature of the goodness.

unusually good that

Indicates that the goodness is not typical or common.

surprisingly good that

Suggests that the goodness was unexpected.

FAQs

How can I use "so good that" in a sentence?

Use "so good that" to emphasize the degree of a positive quality leading to a specific result. For example, "The book was "so good that" I couldn't put it down".

What are some alternatives to "so good that"?

You can use alternatives like "sufficiently good that", "particularly good that", or "very good that" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "so good that" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "so good that" might sound informal in some contexts. Consider using more sophisticated alternatives for formal writing to maintain a professional tone.

What's the difference between "so good that" and "good enough to"?

"So good that" emphasizes the high degree of quality and its direct consequence, whereas "good enough to" indicates a minimum acceptable level of quality that allows something to happen.