Avoiding Repetition in Writing: How to Use This, That, Such, Do So, and Synonyms Like a Pro

When you write in English, repeating the same words over and over makes your text sound monotonous and robotic. Professional and native writers use a powerful set of tools to keep their writing concise, elegant, and engaging: substitution and cohesion.

By mastering words like this, that, such, do so, and strategic synonyms, you can eliminate clutter, guide your reader smoothly, and significantly boost your score in writing exams like IELTS or Cambridge C1/C2.

Let’s explore how to use these advanced referencing tools with practical, colorful examples.

1. Navigating Text with It, This, and That

While it, this, and that all refer back to something previously mentioned, they carry completely different levels of emphasis and “distance” in a text.

It: The Low-Profile Connector

We use it to continue talking about a topic that is already established, without adding any special emphasis or drama.

• We watched the latest episode last night. It was OK, but not nearly as good as the previous ones.
• I bought a new laptop yesterday. It runs incredibly fast.

This (or These): The Spotlight

This is much more emphatic. It acts like a spotlight, signaling to the reader that the topic is important, new, or that you are about to explain more about it.

• More funding has been approved for primary schools in the area. This does not, however, solve the problem faced by local high schools.
• The company decided to switch to a four-day workweek. This revolutionary policy instantly boosted employee productivity.

That (or Those): Creating Distance

Like this, that is emphatic, but it is used to create distance. This distance can be emotional, physical, or organizational.

• Emotional/Ideological Distance: Disagreeing or detaching yourself from an idea.
  • A: “I refuse to do this anymore!”
  • B: “I understand you’re upset, but I think that’s going a bit too far.”
  • “They are being completely unreasonable!” … “OK, sorry, maybe that was unfair.”
• Textual/Time Distance: Referencing an idea mentioned much further back in your writing.
  • (Paragraph 1): A classic mistake inexperienced hikers make is to pack extra electronics and heavy toiletries.
  • (Two paragraphs later): Those extra kilos of weight are soon left behind as hikers learn to reduce what they carry.
• Physical Distance:
  • Scientists believe that some animals use the Earth’s magnetic fields to travel from point A to B, even if that B is thousands of miles away.

2. Formal Referencing: That and Those as “The One(s)”

In formal and academic English, you can use that (singular) or those (plural) followed by of to avoid repeating a noun you just used.

Formula: [Noun A] + of… vs. That/Those + of…

• Singular: The composition of chimpanzee muscle was found to differ from that of humans. (that = the composition)
• Plural: They obtained better exam results than those of the same year group in other schools. (those = the exam results)

“Those who…”

The phrase those who is a formal, elegant way to say “the people who.”

• Those who are unable to attend the event in person are invited to view it online.
• She was among those who voted in favor of the new policy.

3. Such: Referencing a Specific Type

In formal contexts, the word such means “of this or that specific type.” It saves you from repeating a complex category or description. You can use it before singular nouns (with a/an), plural nouns, or uncountable nouns.

• Some species of ants can find their way using the memory of how many steps they have taken. Such navigation methods are actually fairly basic. (such navigation methods = methods of that specific type)
• The library is free and open to the public 24 hours a day. It is the only such library in the city.

💡 Writing Tip: Such is incredibly powerful when paired with limiting words like the only, the first, the few, or no.

• The committee will meet once a month. The first such meeting will be held in April.

4. Do So: Substituting the Verb

Just as pronouns replace nouns, do so (or does so, did so, doing so) replaces an entire verb phrase so you don’t have to repeat the action. This is a hallmark of high-level, formal writing.

• Our company raised salaries, but few others in the sector did so. (did so = raised salaries)
• Employees who have agreed to work overtime should be prepared to do so this month. (do so = work overtime)
• While some went vegan for the supposed health benefits, others reported doing so for ethical reasons. (doing so = going vegan)

5. The Ultimate Stylistic Weapon: Synonyms

Replacing a word with a synonym or a descriptive phrase doesn’t just prevent repetition—it adds color, imagery, and emotion to your writing, making it much more engaging to read.

Example A: Technical/Academic Writing

• Repetitive: Air pollution is a significant problem in many European capitals. Urgent action needs to be taken on this air pollution.
• Better (Using a Synonym): Air pollution is a significant problem in many European capitals. Urgent action needs to be taken on this worrying issue.

Example B: Creative/Journalistic Writing

• Repetitive: Salmon use their sense of smell to travel back to the river where they were born. These salmon can travel hundreds of miles to return to their birthplace.
• Better (Using a Descriptive Metaphor): Salmon use their sense of smell to travel back to the river where they were born. These aquatic homing missiles can travel hundreds of miles to return to their birthplace.

Cheat Sheet: Cohesion Tools at a Glance

Tool	Function	Best Used For…	Example
It	Continues a topic neutrally	Standard, non-emphasized reference	I read the book. It was great.
This	Draws immediate focus	Introducing a new point or consequence	This proves that our theory works.
That of	Replaces “the one of”	Formal comparisons	Our strategy is better than that of our rivals.
Such	Means “of this type”	Formal classification	We need to avoid such errors.
Do so	Replaces an action verb	Formal sentence shortening	If you need to leave, please do so quietly.