Page 203 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

P u r p o s e s a n d r e s u l t s : i n o r d e r t o , s o a s t o , e t c .

In order / so as + to-infinitive
To talk about the PURPOSE of something we can use in order / so as + to-infinitive:
• He took the course in order to get a better job.
• Trees are being planted by the roadside so as to reduce traffic noise.
In spoken English in particular it is much more common simply to use a to-infinitive without 'in
order' or 'so as' to express the same meaning:
• He took the course to get a better job.
To make a negative sentence with in order / so as + to-infinitive, we put not before the to-infinitive:
• He kept the speech vague in order not to commit himself to one side or the other.
• The land was bought quickly so as not to delay the building work.
You can't use a negative if you use only a to-infinitive:
• I carried the knife carefully in order / so as not to cut myself, (not ...carefully not to cut...)
However, compare negative sentences with in order / so as / to-infinitive + but:
• I came to see you not (in order / so as) to complain, but (in order /so as) to apologise.
In order that and so that
We also use in order that and so that to talk about PURPOSE. Compare:
• She stayed at work late in order / so as to complete the report, and
• She stayed at work late in order that / so that she could complete the report.
So that is more common than in order that, and is used in less formal situations.
Study these examples. Notice in particular the verbs and tenses:
• Advice is given in order that / so that students can choose the best courses.
• Did you give up your job in order that / so that you could take care of your mother?
• She bid the present in order that / so that the children wouldn't find it.

For
Study these examples with for or to-infinitive used to talk about PURPOSE:

I to talk about the purpose of an action: • • I'm saving for a new car.
I'm saving to buy a new car.
for + noun or to-infinitive
to talk about the purpose of a thing, • This is good for getting rid of headaches.
or to define it: for + -ing • A mouse is a device used for moving the
cursor around a computer screen.
to talk about the use a person makes • She used a heavy book to keep the door open.
of something: to-infinitive

So...that
We use so...that to link a CAUSE with a RESULT. In speech, 'that' is often left out:
• The train was so slow (that) I was almost two hours late.
• It all happened so quickly (that) I never got a good look at his face.
For special emphasis, particularly in formal English, we can put So ... that at the beginning of a
sentence and put the verb before the object (see also Unit 120):
• So slow was the train that I was almost two hours late.
• So quickly did it all happen that I never got a good look at his face.
We can sometimes use so...as + to-infinitive instead of so...that:
• It was so unusual as to seem almost a joke. (= ...so unusual that it seemed almost...)

Inversion =