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To indicate 'purpose', "so that" is used in adverb clause :

We read so that we may learn.

We know, in informal situation, sometimes 'that' can be optional in "so that" :

We read so we may learn. (so = in order that)

But I've seen the following usage too.

We read that we may learn. (that = in order that).

Can 'so' be optional in "so that"?

Are "so that", 'so' and 'that' interchangeable to mean "in order that" in adverb clause of purpose?

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  • It is perfectly fine to omit "so". It certainly sounds literary, or perhaps, old-fashioned. I think this may have already been answered here ell.stackexchange.com/a/212589/24537
    – Mr Chasi
    Commented May 12, 2020 at 11:43
  • But here my point is whether either of the two words ('so' or 'that') is optional in "so that".
    – Sandip Kumar Mandal
    Commented May 12, 2020 at 11:48

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Yes they are. So and that, when used to mean "in order that", are interchangeable, as seen in this example from Ngram:

let us die that we may live. (original)

let us die so we may live.

let us die so that we may live.

See also this poem.

...aplaud so we may evolve lizard to angel (original)

...applaud that we may evolve lizard to angel

...applaud so that we may evolve lizard to angel.

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  • Can you cite some examples from authoritative sources (say from academic journals or reputable newspapers or websites) where they have used "that" instead of "so" in this manner. If you find some, it maybe a good idea to add them to your answer. Titles of books (which are often shortened due to space limitations) and poems are not reliable examples of usage. Is this acceptable in speech? Is it acceptable in an academic paper? What about a formal business email? If it is not appropriate under certain circumstances (those that I mentioned), it might be a good idea to mention that in your answer.
    – AIQ
    Commented May 12, 2020 at 13:15

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