Such intensifies a noun phrase, not an adjective on its own
Put such before a noun or an adjective + noun to emphasise that a person, thing, event or phenomenon has a quality to a very high degree. After such, the listener expects a noun phrase: the noun determines the structure of the whole construction.
In It was such a calm place, place is the head of the phrase. Calm describes the place, and such intensifies the whole idea of a place that is so calm. An adjective is optional: What a surprise! and It was such a surprise! also contain a singular countable noun.
Such often conveys an emotional evaluation: admiration, surprise, irritation or strong approval. The evaluation can be positive or negative: such a helpful person; such a terrible delay.
such + noun phrase
- NP / noun phrase —
- A noun phrase: a noun with its dependent words, such as the new student; the pattern treats it as one group of words.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
Marta is such a patient teacher.
Marta is such a patient teacher.
Such intensifies the whole phrase a patient teacher, not just the adjective patient.
That was such a surprise!
That was such a surprise!
There is no adjective, but such is still followed by a noun phrase containing a singular countable noun.
A singular countable noun: such a or such an
Before a singular countable noun, the construction requires an indefinite article: such a day, such an idea. The article goes after such, not before it.
If there is an adjective, the normal order is such + a/an + adjective + singular countable noun. Do not omit a/an just because such already appears before the noun.
The choice of a or an depends on the next sound. We therefore say such an easy task but such a useful tool: useful begins with /j/, like the first sound in yes.
such + a/an + (adjective) + singular countable noun
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
It was such an interesting meeting.
It was such an interesting meeting.
Meeting is a singular countable noun; the vowel sound at the start of interesting requires an.
This is such a useful map.
This is such a useful map.
Map is a singular countable noun, and useful begins with the consonant sound /j/, so use a.
We had such a long wait.
We waited for such a long time. / We had such a long wait.
Wait here is a single countable instance of waiting, so such needs a after it.
Plural and uncountable nouns: no a/an
A/an cannot come before a plural noun: such friendly neighbours, such clear instructions. Number is expressed by the noun form, so such can be followed directly by an adjective or by the plural noun itself.
Do not use a/an before uncountable nouns either: such useful information, such bad weather, such good advice. Learn common uncountable nouns, since their equivalents in another language may be easily counted as individual recommendations or facts.
To name one unit of an uncountable concept, add a countable noun: such a useful piece of advice. The article then belongs to piece.
such + (adjective) + plural noun / uncountable noun
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
They are such reliable neighbours.
They are such reliable neighbours.
Neighbours is plural, so there is no a/an between such and reliable.
We had such lovely weather.
We had such lovely weather.
Weather is uncountable, so do not use a/an.
She gave me such helpful advice.
She gave me such helpful advice.
Advice is uncountable in English; such helpful advice is correct without an article.
Such ... that expresses a result
After the intensified noun phrase, you can add a clause with that to name a consequence. The first part describes the unusually high degree of a quality; the second answers “What happened because of this?”: It was such a clear map that we never got lost.
The result clause is optional: It was such a clear map. is a complete sentence. In informal language, that itself may also be omitted from the result pattern: It was such a clear map we never got lost.
The causal connection must make sense. In There were such long queues that we missed the train, the long queues naturally explain why the speakers missed it.
such + noun phrase + that + result clause
- NP / noun phrase —
- A noun phrase: a noun with its dependent words, such as the new student; the pattern treats it as one group of words.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
- clause —
- A construction with a verb, often with its own subject: when I arrived. A non-finite clause may leave the subject unspoken: to get home.
It was such a simple recipe that I remembered every step.
It was such a simple recipe that I remembered every step.
A simple recipe contains a singular countable noun; that introduces the actual consequence of its simplicity.
They asked such clear questions that everyone understood the problem.
They asked such clear questions that everyone understood the problem.
Questions is plural without a/an; the subordinate clause names the consequence.
There was such heavy traffic that we arrived late.
There was such heavy traffic that we arrived late.
Traffic is uncountable, so there is no a/an after such.
The boundary with so
So usually intensifies an adjective or adverb without a noun: The room was so quiet; She spoke so clearly. Such intensifies a noun phrase: It was such a quiet room; She gave such a clear explanation.
The two forms can convey similar meanings, but their structures differ. The film was so funny and It was such a funny film are both grammatical. The mixed form so a funny film is incorrect in the ordinary A2 construction.
Before much, many, little and few expressing quantity, the standard choice is so: so much time, so many people. This lesson does not practise these quantity patterns in detail, but they explain why not every phrase containing a noun automatically needs such.
so + adjective or adverb; such + noun phrase
- NP / noun phrase —
- A noun phrase: a noun with its dependent words, such as the new student; the pattern treats it as one group of words.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
- adverb —
- A word adding information about an action, quality or circumstance: slowly, very, often.
The room is so bright.
The room is so bright.
So is followed by the adjective bright without a noun.
It is such a bright room.
It is such a bright room.
Such is followed by the complete noun phrase a bright room.
There were so many visitors.
There were so many visitors.
Many expresses quantity, so the standard form here is so many, not such many.
Using the pattern in speech
To build your own phrase, first choose the noun and identify its type: singular countable, plural or uncountable. Only then decide whether a/an is needed.
Check the order: such comes before the article, and the adjective comes before the noun. For a singular countable noun, keep the sequence such a/an adjective noun together.
In conversation, the construction works naturally in compliments, reviews, complaints and explanations of results. You do not need to invent personal facts: you can describe an imaginary trip, working day or service.
Identify the noun type → decide whether a/an is needed → build the phrase with such → optionally add a result.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
You have such a calm voice.
You have such a calm voice.
A natural compliment with the singular countable noun voice.
This shop sells such fresh bread.
This shop sells such fresh bread.
Bread is uncountable, so a/an is not needed.
We met such helpful people that the journey felt easy.
We met such helpful people that the journey felt easy.
People is plural; the clause with that shows the result of meeting them.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:It was such beautiful day.
Correct:It was such a beautiful day.
Day is a singular countable noun, so use a after such.
Incorrect:They are such a kind people.
Correct:They are such kind people.
People is plural in this meaning, and a/an is not used before a plural.
Incorrect:We received such a useful information.
Correct:We received such useful information.
Information is uncountable, so remove a.
Incorrect:This is such an useful app.
Correct:This is such a useful app.
Useful begins with the consonant sound /j/, so use a, not an.
Incorrect:It was so a difficult exam.
Correct:It was such a difficult exam.
Before the noun phrase a difficult exam, use such in this pattern.
Incorrect:The task was such difficult.
Correct:The task was so difficult.
There is no noun after difficult; an adjective on its own is intensified by so, not such.