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More so, less so

More so

and less so operate as comparative substitutes:

The prospect of a summer here, in the drowsy warmth of the south, had always

been a 

pleasant

one. Now it was 

more so.

Some dangers, like industrial spying or sabotage, are 

obvious

. Others 

less so.

So substituting for that -clause

So

is also used as a that-clause substitute:

And I know 

she’s fond of Nicky

. She told me 

so.

(understood: She told me that she is fond of Nicky.)

A: Does 

the hotel have room service

? 

B: I believe so.

The negative of so when substituting for a that-clause is not:

A: Are 

they all arriving at the same time

? 

B: I hope not.

A: Did 

she say when she’d be back

?

B: No, I’m afraid not.

This type of substitution with so and not is common after the following verbs,

especially in conversational responses:

appear

assume

be afraid

believe

expect*

guess

254 | Grammar across turns and sentences

Cambridge Grammar of English

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Those verbs with an asterisk (*) often occur with so but are less likely to be used

followed by not:

A: Is Jake coming too?

B: I don’t think so.

(‘I think not’ is also possible, but infrequent and very formal)

A: I wonder if she went with them?

B: I wouldn’t imagine so.

✪

But note that hope is always used with substitute not, rather than negative

declarative:

A: You’ve spelt her surname wrong, haven’t you?

B: Oh, I hope not.

(Oh, I don’t hope so.)

So with reporting verbs

Substitute so sometimes occurs in initial position in short responses with

reporting verbs (e.g. say, tell, hear, read):

[talking of problems of obtaining home insurance]

A: There’s so many places that won’t insure you now unless you’ve got locks on

your doors and windows.

B: So I heard. 

A: Alex Pruitt has been the subject of an internal investigation at Langley.

B: So Ruiz told me.

So in exclamations

In exclamative responses, substitute so can precede the subject and verb be or a

modal or auxiliary verb:

A: The water-butt’s completely empty.

B: Oh yes, so it is!

A: Oh, you’ve got oil stains on your trousers.

B: Oh, so I have!