so of a

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "so of a" is not correct and not usable in written English.
It appears to be a misconstruction and does not convey a clear meaning in standard English. Example: "He is so of a good friend" is incorrect; it should be "He is such a good friend."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

It's so of a time.

The New York Times - Arts

Weighing time against results, many attackers cease after unscrambling 80% or so of a stolen database.

The Economist

Amazon uses the Postal Service for the last mile or so of a package's journey.

The Washington Post

And D.S.L. works only within three miles or so of a telephone central office.

The New York Times - Tech

The troops could be in Macedonia within 10 days or so of a final political agreement's being signed.

The New York Times

Wages amount to just 20% or so of a car's cost; the efficiency of the supply chain counts for a lot more.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

That makes the process less subjective than the say-so of a bank manager.

The Economist

"These people haven't been convicted of anything, and they're detained on the say-so of a relatively junior civil servant.

The Guardian

Dozens of innocent Sun journalists, later cleared, were prosecuted on the say-so of a man now standing for Labour.

The Guardian

The administration has offered no compelling evidence to support that beyond the anecdotal say-so of a few utilities.

The New York Times

Though the president has considerable power, she can get little done without the say-so of a congress that is one of the world's most splintered and fractious.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "so of a" in formal writing. Instead, use alternatives like "approximately" or rephrase the sentence for clarity.

Common error

Do not use "so of a" when trying to make comparisons. For example, instead of saying "He is so of a good player", use "He is such a good player" or "He is so much of a good player".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "so of a" is grammatically unsound. It appears in various contexts, often as part of a longer phrase where other constructions would be more appropriate. Ludwig indicates that the phrase is not correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

25%

Academia

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "so of a" is grammatically incorrect despite its frequent appearance in various contexts. Ludwig AI identifies it as not correct. Although it appears across diverse sources like news media and academic texts, better alternatives like "such a" or "approximately" should be used to convey the intended meaning. The phrase's high frequency does not validate its usage; instead, writers should opt for grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more or less

Indicates a small degree of inexactitude or variability.

about

Provides a simpler way to indicate an estimate or nearness.

approximately

Replaces the vague approximation with a direct adverb.

something like

Suggests similarity without adhering to rigid forms.

in the region of

Offers a more formal way to express approximation.

in that vein

Indicates similarity in style, manner, or approach.

to that effect

Suggests the general idea or purpose is the same.

in that regard

Highlights a specific aspect or connection.

of that nature

Indicates shared qualities or characteristics.

in that category

Specifies a shared group or type.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "so of a" in a sentence?

Replace "so of a" with alternatives like "such a", "so much of a", or rephrase the sentence for better clarity. The best choice depends on the intended meaning and context.

Is "so of a" grammatically correct?

No, "so of a" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. It's often a misconstruction or misuse of other phrases.

What's the difference between "so of a" and "such a"?

"So of a" is not a standard English phrase. "Such a" is used to emphasize a quality or characteristic, as in "He is such a good friend".

When can I use "so much of a" instead of "so of a"?

"So of a" is not correct. "So much of a" can be used to indicate a significant degree or portion, such as "He is so much of a leader".