SO vs SO AS TO

Question

So vs SO AS TO1 I declared enough money so as to not arouse suspicions./so it wouldn't arouse suspicions.2 He's not stupid enough as to/stupid enough to do that./so stupid as to do that.Thank you

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

Only two sentences!

That's a good idea. The fewer questions there are in a post, the more replies you are likely to get.

alc241 I declared enough money [so as] not to arouse suspicions.

It in your second alternative has no clear referent.

alc242 He's not so stupid as to do that.

My choice. Others may have other opinions.

CB

BarbaraPA · Answer

I can't think of any time when "so as to" is needed. But the replacement is not "so," it's "to."

I did X [so as] to Y.

English 1b3 · Answer

Here's how I see it:

alc24I declared enough money so as to not arouse suspicions

OK. 'so as to' is another way of saying 'in order to.' Usually we only need to use the infinitive to convey this meaning, however: "I declared enough money to not arouse suspicions"

alc24so it wouldn't arouse suspicions

OK. This is short for 'so that it wouldn't...'

alc24He's not stupid enough as to/stupid enough to do that./so stupid as to do that.

Only the first is incorrect. You need an intensifier before the adjective if you use 'as to do.' If you don't use an intensifier, as in your second version, you only use 'to do.'

SO vs SO AS TO

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