Referencing and Substitution in IELTS Writing

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably somewhat familiar with the Writing section of the IELTS test. 

The Writing section of IELTS is made up of two tasks: Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2. These tasks are based on topics of general interest and are both assessed by an IELTS examiner using the following criteria: 

• Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2) 

• Coherence and Cohesion 

• Lexical Resource 

• Grammatical Range and Accuracy 

In this post, we’ll be looking at one very important aspect of coherence and cohesion: referencing and substitution. 

When giving you a score for coherence and cohesion, examiners will focus on how your text is put together. While a coherent text is logical and easy to follow, a cohesive text shows information that has been effectively organised. This is achieved by using appropriate paragraphing, linkers, as well as referencing and substitution to avoid repetition.

Referencing is when you refer to something that you previously mentioned in your writing without repeating the same words. Here is one way you can reference: 

• by using pronouns (this, these, they, them, it etc) 

Example: “Technology addiction is a real problem in modern society, not just for adults, but also for teenagers. There are many reasons for this.” 

In the text above, “this” refers back to the concept of technology addiction being a real problem for both adults and teenagers. This helps connect the two sentences without repeating the entire idea. 

Another way to reduce repetition in your writing is to use substitution. This is when you replace one word or phrase with another. There are different ways to do this:  

• by using synonyms 

Example: “Teenagers lives often revolve around their phones. From the internet and social media to apps and games, adolescents simply love going online.” 

In the second sentence, the word “adolescents” replaces “teenagers,” adding variety to the text. 

• by substituting clauses 

“It is important that young people are given limits when it comes to screen-based activity. To do so, parents should focus on setting limits on recreational screen time.” 

In the example above, “do so” replaces the entire preceding clause “young people are given limits when it comes to screen-based activity.” This helps maintain the flow of the text.  

Now that you have a better understanding of what referencing is, it’s time to do some practice. Take a minute to read the paragraph below. Use referencing or substitution to improve the underlined phrases in the text by reducing repetition. When you finish, you can scroll down and compare your answers with the model answer provided. 

Naturally, both mothers and fathers are anxious about the effects of excessive screen time on their teenage children. However, many mothers and fathers also struggle with regulating their own screen time, and it is important for mothers and fathers to set a good example for their teenage children. To achieve setting a good example, mothers and fathers should try to spend less time on their mobile phones and avoid getting distracted by their mobile phones, especially when having a conversation with their teenage children. 

Naturally, both mothers and fathers are anxious about the effects of excessive screen time on their teenage children. However, many parents also struggle with regulating their own use of technology, and it is important for them to set a good example for their teenagers. To achieve this, parents should try to spend less time on their mobile phones and avoid getting distracted by them, especially when having a conversation with their children. 

Even though there might be times when you’ll need to repeat words in your writing, try using referencing and vary your vocabulary as much as possible. Doing so will show the examiner that you have the necessary skills to write a cohesive text.