so to be

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'so to be' is not a grammatically correct phrase and should not be used in written English.
Instead, you can use more appropriate phrases such as 'therefore', 'thus', 'consequently', etc. For example, "He failed the exam, so consequently he had to retake it."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

'So to be expected... to..

The Guardian

Our beat so to be beaten.

The Guardian - Books

So to be able to do that is good.

The New York Times

I love so to be in your body.

The New Yorker

So to be safe, filing a protective claim makes sense.

The New York Times

So, to be good is to be seen as shallow.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Look, I have white hair, so to be younger?

The New York Times - Style

So, to be sure that you have a real gene, more concrete evidence is required.

The Economist

So to be involved in all of them is pretty surprising.

The New Yorker

"So to be interested in descriptive diagnosis was to be superficial and a little bit stupid".

The New Yorker

So to be able to say it and then to disappear is pretty great".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace "so to be" with clearer and grammatically correct alternatives like "therefore", "thus", or "consequently" to improve clarity and professionalism in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "so to be" in academic papers or business reports. It is often seen as grammatically incorrect and can detract from your credibility. Opt for more precise connectors to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "so to be" attempts to function as a conjunction, linking clauses or ideas. However, it is not grammatically sound and doesn't effectively serve this purpose, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. Better alternatives are available for expressing consequence or purpose.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

24%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "so to be" appears frequently across diverse sources, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI confirms that it's best to avoid using this phrase in formal writing. Instead, opt for more appropriate alternatives like "therefore", "thus", or "consequently" to clearly and correctly express cause-and-effect relationships. Although prevalent in some contexts like news and media, adhering to standard grammar improves clarity and professionalism, particularly in academic and business environments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

therefore

Replaces the entire phrase with a single word indicating consequence or reason.

thus

A concise alternative indicating a result or conclusion.

consequently

More formal term to show result or effect.

as a result

Phrases expresses direct consequence.

hence

More formal term for "therefore".

for this reason

Highlights the cause-and-effect relationship.

in consequence

More emphatic for indicating results.

accordingly

Implies action is taken because of something.

because of this

Shows a clear reason for the subsequent statement.

for that reason

Specifies the preceding reason as the cause.

FAQs

What phrases can replace "so to be"?

Alternatives include "therefore", "thus", "consequently", or "as a result", depending on the specific context.

Is "so to be" grammatically correct?

No, "so to be" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in formal English. It's better to use more standard conjunctions or adverbs to connect ideas.

How can I use "therefore" instead of "so to be" in a sentence?

Instead of saying "He studied hard, so to be he passed the exam", say "He studied hard, "therefore" he passed the exam".

What is the difference between "so to be" and "as a result"?

"So to be" is not grammatically correct, and it's best to avoid it. "As a result" ("as a result") is a proper phrase to indicate a consequence or outcome.