Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
You use ~ to refer back to ~mething that has just been mentioned.
‘Do you think that made much of a difference to the family?’—‘I think ~.’...
If you can’t play straight, then say ~...
‘Is he the kind of man who can be as flexible as he needs to be?’—‘ Well, I hope ~.’...
ADV: ADV after v
2.
You use ~ when you are saying that ~mething which has just been said about one per~n or thing is al~ true of another one.
I enjoy Ann’s company and ~ does Martin...
They had a wonderful time and ~ did I...
ADV: ADV cl
3.
You use the structures as...~ and just as...~ when you want to indicate that two events or situations are similar in ~me way.
As computer systems become even more ~phisticated, ~ too do the methods of those who exploit the technology...
Just as John has changed, ~ has his wife...
CONJ
4.
If you say that a state of affairs is ~, you mean that it is the way it has been described.
Gold has been a poor investment over the past 20 years, and will continue to be ~...
It is strange to think that he held strong views on many things, but it must have been ~.
ADV: v-link ADV
5.
You can use ~ with actions and gestures to show a per~n how to do ~mething, or to indicate the size, height, or length of ~mething.
Clasp the chain like ~.
ADV: ADV after v
6.
You use ~ and ~ that to introduce the result of the situation you have just mentioned.
I am not an emotional type and ~ cannot bring myself to tell him I love him...
People are living longer than ever before, ~ even people who are 65 or 70 have a surprising amount of time left...
There was snow everywhere, ~ that the shape of things was difficult to identify.
CONJ
7.
You use ~, ~ that, and ~ as to introduce the rea~n for doing the thing that you have just mentioned.
Come to my suite ~ I can tell you all about this wonderful play I saw in Boston...
He took her arm and hurried her upstairs ~ that they wouldn’t be overheard...
I was beginning to feel alarm, but kept it to myself ~ as not to worry our two friends.
CONJ
8.
You can use ~ in stories and accounts to introduce the next event in a series of events or to suggest a connection between two events.
The woman asked if he could perhaps mend her fences, and ~ he stayed...
I thought, ‘Here’s ~meone who’ll understand me.’ So I wrote to her...
And ~ Christmas passed.
ADV: ADV cl
9.
You can use ~ in conversations to introduce a new topic, or to introduce a question or comment about ~mething that has been said.
So how was your day?...
So you’re a runner, huh?...
So, as I said to you, natural medicine is al~ known as holistic medicine...
And ~, to answer your question, that’s why your mother is disappointed...
‘I didn’t find him funny at all.’—‘So you won’t watch the show again then?’...
ADV: ADV cl
10.
You can use ~ in conversations to show that you are accepting what ~meone has just said.
‘It makes me feel, well, important.’—‘And ~ you are.’...
‘You know who Diana was, Grandfather.’—‘So I do!’...
‘Why, this is nothing but common vegetable ~up!‘—‘So it is, madam.’...
ADV: ADV cl
11.
You say ‘So?’ and ‘So what?’ to indicate that you think that ~mething that ~meone has said is unimportant. (INFORMAL)
‘My name’s Bruno.’—‘So?’...
‘You take a chance on the weather if you holiday in the UK.’—‘So what?’...
CONVENTION
12.
You can use ~ in front of adjectives and adverbs to emphasize the quality that they are describing.
He was surprised they had married–they had seemed ~ different...
What is ~ compromising about being an employee of the state?
ADV: ADV adj/adv emphasis
13.
You can use ~...that and ~...as to emphasize the degree of ~mething by mentioning the result or consequence of it.
The tears were streaming ~ fast she could not see...
The deal seems ~ attractive it would be ridiculous to say no...
He’s not ~ daft as to listen to rumours.
ADV: ADV adj that, ADV adj as to-inf emphasis
14.
see al~ in~far as
15.
You use and ~ on or and ~ forth at the end of a list to indicate that there are other items that you could al~ mention.
...the Government’s policies on such important issues as health, education, tax and ~ on...
PHRASE: cl/group PHR
16.
You use ~ much and ~ many when you are saying that there is a definite limit to ~mething but you are not saying what this limit is.
There is only ~ much time in the day for answering letters...
Even the greatest city can support only ~ many lawyers.
PHRASE: PHR n
17.
You use the structures not...~ much and not ~ much...as to say that ~mething is one kind of thing rather than another kind.
I did not really object to Will’s behaviour ~ much as his per~nality...
PHRASE
18.
You use or ~ when you are giving an approximate amount.
Though rates are heading down, they still offer real returns of 8% or ~...
Matt got me a room there for a week or ~ when I first came here...
PHRASE: amount PHR vagueness
19.
~ much the better: see better
ever ~: see ever
~ far ~ good: see far
~ long: see long
~ much for: see much
~ much ~: see much
every ~ often: see often
~ there: see there