Meaning & use
so creative
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Used to say that someone or something has a lot of imagination and original ideas, often with surprise or strong feeling.
Grammar: 'So' here means 'very'; it comes before the adjective and cannot stand alone: say 'so creative', not 'creative so'.
Patterns
- someone is so creative
- something is so creative
- so creative of someone
My little sister is so creative — she turns old boxes into castles.
That ad campaign was so creative that everyone shared it online.
It was so creative of you to paint the whole mural yourself.
phrasefixed phraseinformal
Used to show that something is imaginative to a surprising or excessive degree, often in a slightly critical way.
Grammar: With this meaning the phrase often carries a hint of criticism, especially in a sentence like 'Well, that's so creative...' said with a pause.
Patterns
- that is so creative
- so creative that ...
He said he 'reorganized' the files by color — that's so creative, but now nobody can find anything.
Her excuse was so creative that the teacher almost believed it.
Common combinations
- so creative with something
- She is so creative with paper and glue.
- so creative that ...
- The design was so creative that it won first prize.
- so creative of someone
- It was so creative of him to write the song in one night.
- be so creative
- Kids are so creative when they are allowed to play freely.
- so creative and original
- His writing is so creative and original that it is hard to compare.
Synonyms and how they differ
- very creative
- Neutral and safe in any situation; 'so creative' adds more emotion and is more common in speech.
- imaginative
- Focuses on having new ideas in the mind; 'creative' often also suggests actually making something.
- inventive
- Suggests finding clever new solutions, especially for problems; 'creative' is broader and covers art too.
Opposites
Word family
- creativity noun
- The ability to produce new and original ideas.
- create verb
- To make something new exist or happen.
- creation noun
- Something that has been made or invented.
- creator noun
- A person who makes or invents something.
- creatively adverb
- In a way that shows imagination and original ideas.
Commonly confused: so creative or so creative?
so creative vs so creative
Some learners write 'so much creative', but 'much' does not go before an adjective; use 'so creative' or 'very creative'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'so creative' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'So' comes directly before the adjective to mean 'very', so 'so creative that...' is correct. 'So much creative' is wrong because 'much' cannot modify an adjective, and 'creative so that' changes the meaning into a purpose clause.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “so creative”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.