so to specify

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "so to specify" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used when attempting to clarify or elaborate on a point, but it is better to use more conventional phrases. Example: "The data is inconclusive, so to specify, we need further analysis to draw any conclusions."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The job of the witness is to indicate whether the perpetrator (i.e., the "target") is present in the photo array and, if so, to specify the target's photo.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

The adolescents were asked if they had ever been abused and, if so, to specify by whom and the type of abuse (verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual).

Archives of Sexual Behavior

In a subsequent open-ended question, patients responding "yes" to the dichotomous question were asked if they would be willing to pay more than €15,000 and, if so, to specify the exact amount.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

In time, the five elements of the model were renamed so as to specify components for other types of communication transmitted in various manners.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But the disclosure of the meeting indicated that private discussions continue in the face of Republican leaders' public statements deploring the lack of progress and the president's refusal so far to specify the sort of deep, long-term reductions in spending for social programs that they insist upon as a condition of their support for raising taxes on high earners.

The New York Times

One reason it is so difficult to specify the boundaries of the program is that the current surge in interest in experimental philosophy is relatively new.

SEP

Shift periods are identified by visual inspection of regional Beveridge curves, so as to specify shift dummies, which are then tested for statistical significance.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

But if we are unhappy with brute facts, if we are looking for a principled way of drawing the line so as to specify the circumstances under which the facts obtain, then the question is truly challenging.

SEP

Finally, it is noteworthy that, when assistive technology grows similar to a computer-aided therapy, it is necessary to empower the specialists on the specific area, so as to specify the patient's therapeutic needs.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

In this analysis, using principal component analysis (PCA) the 13 psychometric questions were grouped so as to specify complex indicators that might identify the way individuals relate to certain issues.

Agricultural and Food Economics

Facebook has previously been accused of liberal bias by demoting conservative views in its Trending Topics feature — which likely explains why it's so keen to specify that systems it's built to try to suppress the spread of certain types of "inauthentic" content do not assess "the content itself".

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "so to specify" in formal writing. Opt for clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives like "in order to specify" or "to be specific".

Common error

Don't rely on "so to specify" as a connector. It can sound clumsy and may confuse readers. Replace it with a smoother transition word or phrase to maintain clarity.

Linguistic Context

Purpose Connector: "So to specify" attempts to function as a connector indicating the intention to clarify or elaborate on a point. However, its non-standard usage impacts its effectiveness, as noted by Ludwig, where grammatical status is classified as Incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "so to specify" is used to introduce clarifying information, it is considered grammatically incorrect and can sound awkward. Ludwig identifies this as a non-standard phrase. It's best to opt for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives such as "in order to specify", "to be specific", or "to clarify". By doing so, you will be able to make your writing more clear.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in order to specify

Replaces "so" with "in order", creating a more standard purpose clause.

so as to specify

Uses "so as to" for a more formal expression of purpose.

to be specific

Offers a more direct way to indicate the intention of providing detailed information.

for the purpose of specifying

Emphasizes the intention behind the act of specifying.

in order that we may specify

Transforms the phrase into a more explicit clause.

to clarify

Provides a concise alternative when the goal is simply to make something clearer.

to elaborate

Suggests adding more detail or complexity to the information.

specifically

Uses an adverb to directly indicate specificity.

that is to say

Introduces a rephrasing or explanation of a previous statement.

by way of specifying

Expresses the act of specifying as a method or approach.

FAQs

What does "so to specify" mean?

The phrase "so to specify" is generally used to indicate an intention to provide more detail or clarification. However, it's not a standard or grammatically correct phrase and can be confusing.

What can I say instead of "so to specify"?

You can use alternatives like "in order to specify", "to be specific", or "to clarify", depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to use "so to specify"?

No, "so to specify" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use more conventional phrases to express your intent to clarify or elaborate.

How can I use "in order to specify" in a sentence?

You can use "in order to specify" to introduce a detailed explanation. For example, "We need more data, in order to specify the exact parameters of the model."