Substitution

Substitution: purpose

In speaking and in writing, we try to avoid repeating words, phrases or clauses. We use substitute forms to do this:

• A: Pam always brings us back chocolates when she travels.

• B: Oh, nice.

• A: She brought some Belgian ones from her last trip, which were delicious.

• B: Lucky you!

• (A uses ones to avoid repeating chocolates.)

• [A has a problem with her computer]

• A: Do you think I should phone Barry and ask him to come and look at it.

• B: Yes, do. (B uses do to avoid repeating phone Barry and ask him to come and look at it.)

We can use substitution to refer backwards or forwards. Forward substitution is far less common than backward substitution (The noun being referred to is underlined in the examples.):

• If you need them, there are nails in the toolbox (forward substitution).
• A large saucepan is what we need for making jam, but I don’t have one (backward substitution).

Substitution: what forms can we use?

We can use many different words and phrases in substitution, including words such as both, either, some (indefinite quantifying pronouns), do and so, and expressions such as the same and thus.

Indefinite quantifying pronouns

The following words and phrases are commonly used as substitutes:

(a) little	each	less	one(s)
another	either	many	other(s)
all	enough	much	several
any	few	neither	some
both	half	none

A: There’s this card with a clown on it and this one with a monkey. Which do you think Mark would prefer?

B: I think he’d like either.

A: Does she have a lot of friends at work?

B: No, not one.

Substituting with do

We use do, do so, do it, do the same to substitute for a verb and whatever accompanies it (complement):

• A: We always have toast and coffee in the morning.
• B: We do too. I can’t function without breakfast. (Do substitutes for have toast and coffee in the morning.)

See also

• Do as a substitute verb

Substituting with so

We can use so as a substitute in a number of ways: for an adjective (it remains so), an object clause (I think so), with reporting verbs (so I heard) and in exclamations (so he is!).

See also

• So
• So as a substitute form
• So am I, so do I, Neither do I

Substitution for nouns

One, some, ones

We mostly use one and some/ones to substitute for countable nouns:

• She tried to get a ticket but she couldn’t get one. (She couldn’t get a ticket.)
• A: Is there a bookshop around here?
• B: There are two second-hand ones at the end of the street on the right.

Where there is nothing before or after ones, some or any are used as a plural substitute:

• A: Have either of you got any one pound coins for this machine?
• B: Let me see, I’ve definitely got some.
• C: I’m afraid I don’t have any.
• Not: Let me see, I’ve definitely got ones.
• Not: I’m afraid I don’t have ones.

See also

• Any
• One
• Some
• Some and any

Indefinite quantifying pronouns (little, all, both, neither)

We can use indefinite quantifying pronouns such as (a) little, all, both, many, much, neither, few to substitute for noun phrases:

• Hundreds of people went to the village festival and all seemed to enjoy themselves very much.

See also

• Pronouns
• Determiners used as pronouns

That, those

We can use that and those as substitutes meaning ‘the one(s)’ in more formal contexts:

• The water for the factory was that from the local reservoir.
• The books he read were those which he found in the old library.

In formal contexts, especially in academic style, we use that of/those of:

• The head has a similar shape and size to that of a mammal.

See also

• This, that, these, those