so little

Hi, Essam Nasr,

@Essam Nasr posted:

Choose the correct answer:

Don't shout at so little ....... He will hate you.

a. child

b. a child

I see both are wrong as so is not used before an adjective + noun.

In addition, the sentence should be reworded like this:

Don't shout at this little child.

Don't shout at any little child.

Am I right?

No, I think the writer of this sentences intends to use 'b. a child'. It doesn't sound natural to you because 'so + adj. + a/an + a common noun' is a very formal structure which is mostly used in literature. Here, it means exactly the same as "such a little child'.

Does this very formal structure not require a "that" clause afterwards?

@Essam Nasr posted:

Does this very formal structure not require a "that" clause afterwards?

No, it doesn't. In this case, it simply indicates that the child is so little (that you can't shout at). This implied meaning is clearly understood. 'Practical English Usage, page 10:

" After as, how, so, too and this/that meaning so, adjectives go before a/an. This
structure is common in a formal style.
as/how/so/too/this/that + adjective + a/an + noun

It was so warm a day that I could hardly work.

@Essam Nasr posted:

Don't shout at so little ....... He will hate you.

a. child
b. a child

Hi, Essam Nasr—I agree with Ahmed that (b) ("a child") is correct. (The other answer is totally ungrammatical.) My explanation for its correctness is a bit different. I understand there to be an omitted "as"-clause of comparison in such examples. I see the sentence as being equivalent to the following:

(a) Don't shout at so little a child [as this one (is)].

Consider what happens in a passive sentence: "So little a child [as this one (is)] should not be shouted at." Of course, when the clause of comparison is added, it is not absolutely necessary to use "this one." In certain context, you might wish to use "as he (is)" or "as that one (is)." And it's fine to omit the "as"-clause.