He realized so late

[keannu]

My workbook explains "so late" here doesn't work as it gives the nuance of "so(cause)~that(result)", so the whole sentence doens't make sense, so "too late" is correct.
But I disagree "so late"'s "so" can mean "very". can't it?

107)..Pulling over, he found only the blanket. He had left Maria at the service station! He realized so late that he must have been too careless.

 

[5jj]

'So' does not work in that particular sentence. 'Too' works. 'Even 'very' is not appropriate.

 

[tzfujimino]

Hello.:-D
I don't think it is the 'so... that...' construction.
The that-clause in the sentence above ("that he must have been too careless") is the object of the verb 'realized'.

He realized [[STRIKE]so[/STRIKE] too late] that he must have been too careless.