Such great a person/such a great person

Question

Is there a difference in meaning between the two? Is there a difference only in the register, one being formal?1: He is such great a person.2: He is such a great person.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi Jackson,

#1 is incorrect.

Clive

Jackson6612 · Answer

Thanks, Clive.

Actually my question was not particularly concerned about those sentences. It was more about the general style, how the sentence is written. Right now I couldn't think of any such sentence. Perhaps, you can guess what I'm trying to ask. Help, please.

Jbachman08 · Answer

He is so great a person is not grammatical by itself. It is incomplete. You could say : He is so great a person that he gives all his money to charity. The latter, however, can be used alone: He is such a great person!

Jackson6612 · Answer

jbachman08He is so great a person is not grammatical by itself. It is incomplete. You could say : He is so great a person that he gives all his money to charity. The latter, however, can be used alone: He is such a great person!

Thanks, Jbach. I think that's what I was looking for. So, these mean the same:
1: He is so great a person that he gives all his money to charity.
2: He is such a great person that he gives all his money to charity.

Can't I say: He is such great a person that he gives all his money to charity?

Please guide me.

Philip · Answer

Jackson6612Thanks, Jbach. I think that's what I was looking for. So, these mean the same:
1: He is so great a person that he gives all his money to charity.
2: He is such a great person that he gives all his money to charity.

Can't I say: He is such great a person that he gives all his money to charity?

These are the same, and they are correct, as is number 1.

Jbachman08 · Answer

Such great a person is not grammatical.

Yoong Liat · Answer

Philip
Jackson6612Thanks, Jbach. I think that's what I was looking for. So, these mean the same:1: He is so great a person that he gives all his money to charity.2: He is such a great person that he gives all his money to charity.Can't I say: He is such great a person that he gives his money to charity?
These are the same, and they are correct, as is number 1.

1. He is such great a person.

2: He is such a great person.

#1 is incorrect.

Clive

I am confused. Clive says that the first sentence is incorrect and yet Philip says the above underlined sentence is correct.

Jackson6612 · Answer

Philip
Jackson6612Thanks, Jbach. I think that's what I was looking for. So, these mean the same:1: He is so great a person that he gives all his money to charity.2: He is such a great person that he gives all his money to charity.Can't I say: He is such great a person that he gives all his money to charity?
These are the same, and they are correct, as is number 1.

Thanks, Philip.

But, as Clive noted above, using "He is such great a person" is not grammatical; it should be followed by another clause? Please let me know. Thank.

Khoff · Answer

"He is such great a person..." is not correct. I think Philip was just mistaken in his reply -- perhaps he read it incorrectly.

Anonymous · Answer

1: He is such great a person. = Incorrect
2: He is such a great person. = correct
But He is so great a person. = correct

Such great a person/such a great person

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