Difference between such ... that and such ... as

Question

Hi,I read the following in my grammar text book:To express the result, we need to use a that clause with so and an as clause with such.Among the following sentences my test book tells that option (ii) is correct while option (i) is incorrect.i. The machine was such a flawless one that I could not find any problem even after four hours of probing .ii. The machine was such a flawless one as I could not find any problem even after four hours of probing.Could you tell mea) the difference between options (i) and (ii)b) why is option (i) incorrect?Thanks,Richards Peter.

GPY · Accepted Answer

That's the wrong way round. Actually, (i) is correct and (ii) is incorrect.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

The first sentence is correct. Here is a rephrasing:
i. The machine was so flawless that (as a result) I could not find any problem even after four hours of probing

The second sentence would be correct if you strike out "such"
ii. The machine was a flawless one as (because, due to the fact that) I could not find any problem even after four hours of probing.

Kprichards · Answer

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. But could you explain more about the same. I could not follow the difference between the two usages.

Richards.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Here are some related patterns:

so (adjective) that (a consequence of the thing described because of the adjective)

That mountain is so high that no one has ever climbed to the top.
The current in the river is so fast that we don't need to paddle our boat, we just need to steer it.
The race car was so fast that no other car could beat it.
The damage was so great that it could not be repaired.
The wind was so strong that my umbrella was turned inside-out.
The prices in that store were so high that nobody shopped there.
The advanced physics class is so difficult that few students sign up for it.

Another pattern is:
so many/much noun that
There are so many books in the library that I will never read all of them.
There is so much food that there will be enough left over for dinner tomorrow.

Related to that is the pattern that uses a modifier + noun:
such (an adjective+ noun) that
John is such a good dancer that all the girls want to dance with him.
Martha is such a wonderful cook that everyone wants to eat at her house.
It was such a bad show that it closed after only one week.
The machine was such a flawless one that no one could break it.

Contrast these patterns with a simple description followed by a "because" clause:

Martha is a wonderful cook because she studied at a French cooking school.
John is a good dancer because he practices a lot.
There are many books in the library because people always give it books they have already read.
The current in the river is fast because we had a lot of rain.
The race car is fast because of the advanced engineering.that went into its design.

Kprichards · Answer

Thanks a lot for explaining the patterns in detail.

Richards.

Anonymous · Answer

Sir please guide whether the pair of correlative conjunction such......as can be used or not?

Regards

Difference between such ... that and such ... as

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