Substitution
What Is It?
Substitution swaps a longer element with a pro-form (do, so, one, that): “Logs spike; metrics do so too.”
Why Use Substitution?
- Economy — trims repeated phrases.
- Cohesion — ties sentences smoothly.
- Clarity — prevents overuse of jargon.
When to Choose Substitution
Meeting minutes, test matrices, agile stand-ups (“We refactored; QA did so as well”).
Forming Substitution Sentences
| Substitutor | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| do (so) | S + do (so) | “DevEnv failed; Prod may do.” |
| one/ones | Adj + one(s) | “Choose the stable one.” |
| so (clause) | S + V + so | “We think so.” |
| that/those | Pronoun + V | “Deploy v2 and retire that.” |
Tips for Writing with Substitution
- Match number/gender where relevant.
- Avoid unclear do so—specify verb when distant.
- Use commas sparingly; substitution relies on flow.
- Combine with ellipsis carefully to avoid blank sentences.
Exceptions & Nuances
Do-support required for tense in substitution (“Dev did so,” not does so for past).