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YOBe careful when using the word “such” in English! If your goal is to sound as natural as possible when speaking, there’s one use of this word that sounds too formal for everyday conversations, and in today’s video, I explain how native speakers typically use this word and how they typically don’t use it in real-world situations.
Take note of the following meanings of “such”and their level of formality:
1. such + noun: this use of “such” sounds very formal in everyday conversation and it’s not something you’d typically hear a native speaker say. It is possible and correct and we can use it to refer back to a person or thing that was already mentioned, but it’s most commonly used in formal writing:
The fact that people can throw parties, wander around the building drunk, and make as much noise as they want at any time of day in this building is absurd, and such behavior is so inconsiderate and rude.
Instead, it’s much more common in spoken English to use phrases such as “like that” and “that kind of” (I’d say the former is more common than the latter) to refer back to something that was already mentioned:
Complaining a lot, blaming things on others all the time… things like that annoy the crap out of me in a person.
2. such + adjective + noun: this is one of the most common, natural-sounding uses of “such” in everyday conversation:
I didn’t think it was going to be such a fun day, but you really surprised me.
I’ve never had such interesting conversations with anyone in my life up until now.
3. there’s no such thing (as) = this is a set phrase in English that we can use to say that something or someone doesn’t exist:
Many people believe that there’s no such thing as true freedom.
4. such a thing = used as an emphatic (and almost theatrical) way to refer back to something that was already mentioned:
He accused me of embezzling money from my company, but I would never do such a thing.
So yes, this does mean that the phrase “such a thing” sounds natural, while the phrase “such things” does not. I know, English is weird. 😅 Now practice using “such” naturally in the comments below!
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