So vs Therefore
So and Therefore are two words that are often confused as words that denote the same meaning. Actually, they are different words with different connotations. The word ‘so’ is used in the sense of ‘as a result’ as in the sentences:
1. He is very good in studies. So he secured the first position in his class.
2. She is wise. So she is liked by others.
In both the sentence, you can find that the word ‘so’ is used in the sense of ‘as a result’ and hence, the meaning of the first sentence would be ‘he is very good in studies and as a result he secured the first position in his class’, and the meaning of the second sentence would be ‘she is wise and as a result she is liked by others’.
On the other hand, the word ‘therefore’ is used in the sense of ‘that is why’ or ‘as a consequence’ as in the sentences
1. He is very mischievous. Therefore he was punished.
2. She has a very good memory. Therefore she is right always.
In both the sentences, you can find that the word ‘therefore’ is used in the sense of ‘that is why’ and hence, the meaning of the first sentence would be ‘he is very mischievous and that is why he was punished’, and the meaning of the second sentence would be ‘she has a very good memory and that is why she is right always’.
It is interesting to note that the word ‘so’ is sometimes used in the sense of ‘very’ as in the sentence ‘she is so good in her studies’. In this sentence the word ‘so’ is used in the sense of ‘very’. On the other hand, the word ‘therefore’ is generally used to sum up observations.