So и such

Был задан  вопрос, почему в предложении so, если оно относится к существительному robberies.

25. There have been so many robberies lately that people are afraid. SUCH

There have been ________________________ robberies lately that people are afraid. (Dest B2 p. 76)

There have been such a lot of robberies lately that people are afraid.

Нужно знать конструкции с so/such и иметь в виду, что не so относится к robberies, a so many.

You use so much and so many when you are saying that there is a definite limit to something but you are not saying what this limit is.

Изучим эти две конструкции, которые встретились в предложении для трансформации.

so+many/much+noun+that

such+a lot of+noun+that

(Смотрим правила в Destination B2 p.67, Swan p.530, Alexander p.29 )

Словари говорят:

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 5th Edition

You use such…that in order to emphasize the degree of something by mentioning the result or consequence of it.

You can use so…that and so…as to emphasize the degree of something by mentioning the result or consequence of it.

Как видите, значение одинаковое, разница лишь в структуре.

Попробуем выполнить небольшое упражнение. Вставьте so/such. Обратите внимание на другие конструкции, которые имеются в упражнении.

1. The tears were streaming *** fast she could not see…
2. The deal seems *** attractive it would be ridiculous to say no…
3. He’s not *** daft as to listen to rumours.
4. There is only *** much time in the day for answering letters…
5. Even the greatest city can support only *** many lawyers.
6. He was *** weak that he could hardly stand up.
7. There was *** much smoke that they couldn’t see across the hallway.
8. Everything happened *** quickly I hadn’t time to think.
9. They’re *** nice people.
10. It’s *** a long way from here.
11. I felt *** an idiot.
12. He speaks to me in *** a way that I always feel he is insulting me.
13. The weather has brought *** a demand for beer that one brewery will operate over the weekend…
14. This is something where you can earn *** a lot of money that there is not any risk that you will lose it…
15. He was in *** a hurry that he almost pushed me over on the stairs.
    

P.S. So может употребляться не только перед прилагательным, но и со словами much/many/few/little и др. И не только существительное может следовать за so much, но и другие части речи, например, инфинитив: so much to do that… В конструкции such a lot of — только существительное.