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so: adverb meaning ‘like this/that’

After seem, appear, etc​

So can be used in a formal style in a few cases to mean ‘like this/that’, ‘in this/that way’. This happens, for example, after seem, appear, remain, more and less.

  • ‘Will the business make a loss this year?’ ‘It appears so.’
  • The weather is stormy, and will remain so over the weekend.
  • She was always nervous, and after her accident she became even more so.
  • I read the front page very carefully, and the rest of the paper less so.

Not used in other cases​

In other cases, so is not normally used adverbially to mean ‘like this/that’, ‘in this/that way’.

  • Look – hold it up in the air like this. (not … hold it up in the air so.)
  • When he laughs like that I want to scream. (not When he laughs so …)
  • I don’t think we should do it in that way. (not … do it so.)
  • He says he is ill and he looks it. (not … he looks so.)
note

For so with say and tell, (see here).

For so am I, etc, (see here).

For so with hope, believe, etc, (see here).

For do so, (see here).