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ESL forum >
Ask for help > thus or so
thus or so
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keftor
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thus or so
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Hello Everyone,
Could you tell me the difference between so and thus, please?
here is the question:
Just as a moth is attracted by a light, ....................... he is fascinated by her.
a- similarly b- in a like manner c- thus d- so
answer: d- so
I have looked up some dictionaries but it still isn �t clear.
Thanks in advance
keftor |
15 May 2011
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magneto
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Hi Ridvan!
Thus can only be used to introduce a clause of result (take a look at these examples and it will be clear for you). So, on the other hand can be used to introduce both a clause of result and to state that two events, situations, etc. are similar (see cases 1 and 2 for clauses of result and case 9 for stating that two situations, etc. are similar here).
The sentence in question here is not expressing a result. It is not because a moth is attracted by light that he is fascinated by her. He is fascinated by her just like a moth is attracted by a light. Therefore, in this case so is the only grammatically and semantically correct option.
Hope that helps
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15 May 2011
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ueslteacher
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Well, the key to the answer here is as in the first part of the sentence. as... so - probably meaning to such a degree - in other words the moth is just as much attracted by light as he is fascinated by her. Whereas thus would make no sense here: The moth is attracted by light and in this way/therefore he is fascinated by her? This doesn �t make sense. Sophia P. S. Looks like Elpida and I were posting at the same time:)
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15 May 2011
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tancredo
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HI!
I may not be the right person to help you but as I can see it I would say that thus is the result of something, a consequence.
For example.
The moth was attracted to the light , thus it began a frenetic dancing...
Am I right, natives around the world?
I wish a very good week to everybody in this fantastic site.
All the best
Leonor
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16 May 2011
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perma
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Shouldn �t this be "as moth is attracted to light, so is he fascinated by her" rather than "he is"? |
16 May 2011
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spinney
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"So" is right but it still sounds very odd. It must be something published rather than spoken. Using "thus" in a sentence in spoken English is also unusual. Sounds a tad pompous, in fact. But in written English I would say it �s still quite common. I don�t understand why "her" is used.
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16 May 2011
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magneto
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Perma has a also got a point there...It occurred to me this morning, too: The second sentence should be inverted if we use so.
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16 May 2011
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Apodo
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The second sentence shouldn �t be inverted. It changes the meaning from �in a similar manner � to �as well � which is not what it means. |
16 May 2011
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magneto
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Hmmm...Now that didn �t occur to me!
Could you explain it a bit further, Apodo? It �s a detail I wasn �t aware of and it �s always great to learn new things.
Thank you
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16 May 2011
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Apodo
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Well, I �ll try. Others may not agree. It is very subtle:
Just as a moth is attracted by a light, ......thus..... he is fascinated by her. (thus = in the same way) (My preference is for thus not so.)
Just as a moth is attracted to light, so he is fascinated by her (Two thoughts connected by so) [but I don �t like this form of the sentence]
Just as a moth is attracted to light, so is he fascinated by her (so = also)
It makes it slightly ambiguous- (he seems as if it could refer to the moth)
Sounds as if the meaning could be:
Just as a moth is attracted by a light, he is also fascinated by her
Just as the moth likes lights it also likes her. (which sounds very odd)
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16 May 2011
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