so that/so as to

[Jov]

Is there any difference in meaning between these two expression?

Thanks a lot in advance.

[jnelson0612]

Is there any difference in meaning between these two expression?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Not really. Let's look at two sentences:

I study SO THAT I can ace the GMAT.

I study SO AS TO ace the GMAT.

You can see that "so that" introduces a new clause whereas "so as to" leads into a verb. However, the meaning is pretty much the same.

[Jov]

I came across these two sentence in your forum:

The ribbon I bought was long enough to wrap fully around the package with a few inches left over.

In this sentence, there is nothing particularly extreme about the length of the ribbon (unless the package happens to be Paul Bunyan-sized, but we aren't told anything like that). Instead, we're simply saying that the ribbon's length exceeds a certain threshold: the length required to make it around the package.

SO as to
The ribbon I bought was so long as to wrap around my entire house.

Here, "long enough" just wouldn't capture the essence of what we're trying to say, which is that the ribbon is ridiculously long.

Do these two expression "so....as to/ so as to" have different meanings?
1) shows degree - as shown n the example above
2) Provides explanation - as shown in the example you gave me:
I study so as to ace the GMAT. (The answer of "Why did you study?")

Is it also true with "so...that/so that"?

[jnelson0612]

I came across these two sentence in your forum:

The ribbon I bought was long enough to wrap fully around the package with a few inches left over.

In this sentence, there is nothing particularly extreme about the length of the ribbon (unless the package happens to be Paul Bunyan-sized, but we aren't told anything like that). Instead, we're simply saying that the ribbon's length exceeds a certain threshold: the length required to make it around the package.

SO as to
The ribbon I bought was so long as to wrap around my entire house.

Here, "long enough" just wouldn't capture the essence of what we're trying to say, which is that the ribbon is ridiculously long.

Do these two expression "so....as to/ so as to" have different meanings?
1) shows degree - as shown n the example above
2) Provides explanation - as shown in the example you gave me:
I study so as to ace the GMAT. (The answer of "Why did you study?")

Is it also true with "so...that/so that"?

Hi ytarun,
Aha! I found the forum discussion that you are referring to: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1703&view=previous

There appears to be a VERY slight meaning difference in the two idioms. Very slight! Please note, this thread is from 2007, and in this post both Ron Purewal and Chris Ryan agree that this GMAT does not test this very, very slight distinction.

I also believe that "so that" and "so as to" are so similar that the GMAT cannot test a difference between them. I would look for other flaws and differences and not worry about this further. :-)

[Jov]

Thanks Jamie for making it clear. Now for GMAT questions I would treat so as to and so that in a similar way.

I think you missed this part of my question:

Do these two expression "so....as to" and "so as to" have different meanings?
1) shows degree - as shown in this example:
The ribbon I bought was so long as to wrap around my entire house.

2) Provides explanation - as shown in the example you gave me:
I study so as to ace the GMAT. (The answer of "Why did you study?")

Is it also true with "so...that/so that"?

Thanks,
Tarun

[jnelson0612]

Thanks Jamie for making it clear. Now for GMAT questions I would treat so as to and so that in a similar way.

I think you missed this part of my question:

Do these two expression "so....as to" and "so as to" have different meanings?
1) shows degree - as shown in this example:
The ribbon I bought was so long as to wrap around my entire house.

2) Provides explanation - as shown in the example you gave me:
I study so as to ace the GMAT. (The answer of "Why did you study?")

Is it also true with "so...that/so that"?

Thanks,
Tarun

Hi Tarun,
Sorry about that. Yes, please read that thread I just linked. It discusses the very slight meaning difference between them. However, for GMAT purposes treat them as the same, since the GMAT does not appear to test this very slight meaning difference. Thanks!