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Beth's parents were away, so she could invite all her friends over for a party. (modal, but result)Sing the baby a lullaby so (that) she stops crying and falls asleep. (no modal, but purpose)Thanks to you and these sentences, I could get out of trouble but again I have a question for you.Could you give me sentences with so that and modals in the present tense like can, will, may, etc for result, if you do not mind because I feel like only modals in the past are possible for result meanings.What do you think?Thank you so much as usual!

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Hans51,

I'm sorry to say that I really don't think you should address moderators personally in your subject lines. This is a public forum and not a private tutoring service. Please keep that in mind for the future. Meanwhile, let's address your question.

Hans51Beth's parents were away, so she could invite all her friends over for a party. (modal, but result)
Sing the baby a lullaby so (that) she stops crying and falls asleep. (no modal, but purpose)
Could you give me sentences with so that and modals in the present tense like can, will, may, etc for result, if you do not mind because I feel like only modals in the past are possible for result meanings.

so that to show a result is nearly impossible, as I believe both GPY and I have already told you. It would be difficult for me to provide such examples because they all sound wrong to me. However, if it helps, I can give you this example with just so. Here the so-clause is in the present, which is I think what you wanted. I don't think it would be easy to find an example with both clauses in the present.

Mike (has) fixed Rosemary's flat tire, so she can continue on her way now. (The result is Rosemary's ability to continue her trip in her car.)

CJ

Hans51 · Answer

I am really sorry for it and I am not going to do it again.

Here are sentences I took from my grammar book and the book says that the three sentences are for result and the two sentences are for purpose and the difference between them is whether there are modals and commas, so I thought that so that sentences with modals are for purpose and those with commas are for result.

And you said that "so that to show a result is nearly impossible" and then how can I accept those sentences?

Nothing more was heard of him, so that people thought he was dread. - Result -
It was quite windy, so (that) we had to button our coats. - Result -
He saved money, so that he was able to buy a house. - Result -

I have given him a key so that he can get into the house whenever he likes. - purpose -
They wrote the notices in several languages so that foreign tourists could understand them. - purpose -

Thank you so much as usual.

CalifJim · Answer

Nothing more was heard of him, so that people thought he was dread. - Result -
It was quite windy, so (that) we had to button our coats. - Result -
He saved money, so that he was able to buy a house. - Result -

It's possible that in some regions where English is spoken, "so that" is used in these kinds of sentences, but I don't hear them where I live! We say only "so" in these; not "so that". They are all, however, correctly punctuated with a comma and labelled "result" in my opinion.

I have given him a key so that he can get into the house whenever he likes. - purpose -
They wrote the notices in several languages so that foreign tourists could understand them. - purpose -

These are correctly punctuated without a comma and labelled "purpose" in my opinion.

CJ

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