Purpose and Result: To, So That, So, and Such

What you’ll learn

Explain why an action happens and what follows it.

ពន្យល់គោលបំណង និងលទ្ធផលនៃសកម្មភាព។

Meaning and use

Use to + base verb for purpose, often with the same understood subject. So that introduces a purpose clause and allows a different subject. So + adjective/adverb and such + noun phrase can express degree leading to a result with that. Distinguish purpose from a consequence that simply occurred.

To-infinitive បង្ហាញគោលបំណង។ So that អាចមានប្រធានផ្សេង។ So + គុណនាម និង such + កន្សោមនាម អាចបង្ហាញកម្រិតដែលនាំឱ្យមានលទ្ធផល។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Purpose	I called to confirm. / I spoke slowly so that everyone could understand.
Degree and result	so tired that… / such a long journey that…

Examples

1. I went online to check the timetable.

   ខ្ញុំចូលអ៊ីនធឺណិតដើម្បីពិនិត្យកាលវិភាគ។

2. She wrote it down so that I could remember.

   នាងសរសេរវាទុក ដើម្បីឱ្យខ្ញុំចងចាំបាន។

3. The bag was so heavy that I needed help.

   កាបូបធ្ងន់ខ្លាំងរហូតខ្ញុំត្រូវការជំនួយ។

4. It was such a useful lesson that I read it twice.

   វាជាមេរៀនមានប្រយោជន៍ខ្លាំងរហូតខ្ញុំអានពីរដង។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Why did you leave early?

Maly: To catch the bus. I also called Maly so that she would not wait for me.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
I went there for meet him.	I went there to meet him.	Use a to-infinitive to express this purpose.
It was so a long meeting.	It was such a long meeting.	Such precedes a noun phrase.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: I saved the file ___ avoid losing my work.
2. Choose: It was (so / such) noisy that I could not hear.
3. Join using so that: I moved aside. She could see the screen.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. to

   The infinitive expresses purpose.

2. so

   So modifies the adjective noisy.

3. I moved aside so that she could see the screen.

   The purpose clause has a different subject.

Quick recap

• Purpose: I called to confirm. / I spoke slowly so that everyone could understand.
• Degree and result: so tired that… / such a long journey that…