这两个短语在外观上颇为相似，然而，它们在语义和语法运用上却存在显著的不同。请仔细观察以下内容：
so that 从句用于引导目的状语从句或结果状语从句，其含义包括“以便”、“旨在”、“从而”以及“结果”，这些功能与 in order to 或 so as to 相当。so that 通常置于句中，但 in order to 更常出现在句首或句中，而 so as to 则倾向于放在句尾。
Tell me her address so that I can go and see her.
请告诉我她的地址，这样我就能去拜访她。
She worked hard so that everything would be ready in time.
她辛勤工作，目的是让一切都能按时准备就绪。
He checked carefully, so that the mistakes were caught.
他仔细检查，以便能够发现错误。
They may be able to help with childcare so that you can have a break
他们或许能够帮忙照看孩子，这样你就可以得到休息。
I set up the computer so that they could work from home.
我安装好电脑，以便他们能够在家办公。
You have to carry a phone so that they can call you in at any time.
你必须随身携带手机，以便他们随时能够联系到你。
I’ll give you all the facts so that you can judge for yourself.
我会告诉你所有的事实，以便你自己能够做出判断。
He may find the line cut on the telephone so that he can’t get through
他可能会发现电话线被切断，因此无法接通。
Xiao Hua studies hard so that she can get a good grade in last examination. 小华努力学习，以便在期末考试中取得好成绩。
We perfected a hand-signal system so that he could keep me informed of hazards
我们完善了一套手势信号系统，以便他能够随时告知我存在哪些危险。
You make friends with people and then make unreasonable demands so that they reject you.
你与人们交朋友，然后提出不合理的要求，结果他们拒绝了你。
Let me remind you once again so that you won’t forget.
我再次提醒你，以免你忘记。
He sacrificed his own career so that his avaricious brother could succeed.
他牺牲了自己的事业，以便他贪婪的兄弟能够成功。
The proposal is to pay everything you owe, so that you can start with a clean slate.
提议是偿还你所有的债务，以便你能够重新开始。
I want to learn as much as possible about the industry so that I’m better prepared
我想尽可能多地了解这个行业，以便我能够更加充分地准备。
Send me a letter as soon as you arrive so that I won’t worry.
你一到就给我写信，这样我就不会担心了。
We should give this project every support so that it may be completed on schedule.
我们应该给予这个项目全方位的支持，以确保它能够按计划完成。
How can I begin to restructure my life so that I’m happier with it?
我该如何开始调整我的生活，以便我能够更快乐地接受它？
Hold it up so that we can see it.
把它举起来，这样我们就能看到它了。
I want to teach Irish so that it won’t die out.
我想教授爱尔兰语，以防止它消亡。
They’d already driven along the wharf so that she could point out her father’s boat.
他们已经沿着码头开车行驶，以便她能够指出她父亲的船。
They ask me to join the party so that I’ll be their scapegoat when trouble comes.
他们邀请我参加聚会，以便在麻烦来临时能够将责任推给我。
I had the flat decorated quickly so that Philippa could move in.
我迅速地粉刷了公寓，以便菲利帕能够搬进来。
He took her arm and hurried her upstairs so that they wouldn’t be overheard
他挽起她的手臂，迅速地把她带到楼上，以免他们的话被别人听到。
He’s bought a specially big TV at vast expense so that everyone can see properly
他花费巨资购买了一台特别大的电视机，以便每个人都能看清楚。
He had to bring forward an 11 o’clock meeting so that he could get to the funeral on time
他不得不将11点的会议提前，以便他能够准时参加葬礼。
so that前后是两个完整的句子。In order to（常置于句首）或 so as to（常置于句尾）要灵活运用。
In order to ensure success we must have a complete and thorough plan.
为了确保成功，我们必须制定一个全面而周密的计划。
In order to reach this limit a number of technical problems will have to be solved.
为了达到这个极限，必须解决许多技术问题。
Write home as often as possible so as to relieve your mother from anxiety.
尽可能频繁地给家里写信，以减轻你母亲的焦虑。
Let’s turn in early, so as to get up early tomorrow to catch the train.
我们早点睡觉，以便明天能够早起赶上火车。
Kemp knocked loudly so as to be heard above the high babble of voices
肯普大声敲门，以便在众人高声喧哗中能够被听到。
so…that…意为“如此……以至于……”，其中so是副词，通常用来修饰形容词或副词，that引导结果状语从句（that有时可以省略），当前后两个主语是同一人或物时，常与too…to…结构互换。
She spoke so quietly (that) I could hardly hear her.
她说话声音太轻，我几乎听不见。
The programme has been so organized that none of the talks overlap.
节目安排得如此周密，以至于没有任何两场演讲会重复。
The tears were streaming so fast she could not see
眼泪流得太快，她的视线瞬间变得模糊。
She is so beautiful that all boys want to make friends with her. 她是如此美丽，以至于所有男孩都想和她交朋友。
My sister is too young to go to school. 我妹妹太小了，不能去上学。=My sister is so young that she can’t go to school.
He is too busy to stay with his children. 他太忙了，没有时间陪伴孩子。=He is so busy that he can’t stay with his children.
在such…that…结构中，such是限定词，用于修饰名词。
He’s such a genius that I admire him.
他真是个天才，我非常钦佩他。
It’s such a boring lecture that all audience felt sleepy.
这讲座太无聊了，所有听众都感到困倦。
I drank such a lot of coffeethat I was still wide awake at two in the morning.
我喝了这么多咖啡，以至于凌晨两点还醒着。
It was such delicious foodthat I’ll never forget its taste.
这是如此美味的食物，我永远不会忘记它的味道。
It was so exciting a trip that we will never forget.=
It was such an exciting trip that we will never forget.
这是一次令人兴奋的旅行，我们永远不会忘记。
He is so shy a boy that he always has few words.=
He is such a shy boy that he always has few words.
他是个害羞的男孩，总是话不多。
注意，当名词前面是many/much/few/little时，应使用so而不是such：
My garden was covered with so many butterflies that I could hardly see the flowers.
我的花园里布满了许多蝴蝶，我几乎看不见花了。
They bought so much beef that some went bad.
他们买了太多的牛肉，有些都变质了。
My hometown had changed so much that I could hardly recognize it.
我的家乡发生了巨大的变化，我几乎认不出来了。
My hand shook so much that I could hardly hold the microphone
我的手抖得非常厉害，几乎拿不住麦克风。
There’s so much time that we can have a long holiday.
我们有很多时间，可以好好度个长假。
He trusted her so little that he had her tailed.
他非常不信任她，因此派人跟踪她。
We had so little timeto catch the train that we had to eat our lunch on the fly.
我们赶火车的时间非常紧张，只能匆忙地吃午饭。
He had so few friends that he was very lonely.
他朋友很少，因此感到非常孤独。