Write a huge text and then find yourself repeating words and ideas. Who never? This is a very common problem and considerably affects the textual cohesion. But if repeating previous elements in the linear development of the essay is essential for coherence and cohesion, how to do it without the text becoming repetitive, even boring to read? There are some writing tips that can help you write a cohesive and elegant text. Let's learn? Enjoy your reading and good studies!
Tips on how to avoid repeating words in a text:
Among the processes that prevent the repetition of words is substitution. Follow how it can be useful for writing your text:
►Substitution through pronominalization:
This type of substitution is made from the use of pronouns, elements that will replace other terms already expressed in your text. Look at the examples:
1) Substitution with personal pronouns:
The students were very agitated, so the teacher askedthem to be silent. (them = personal pronoun).
(Avoid: The students were very agitated, so the teacher asked the students to be silent.)
2) Substitution with demonstrative pronouns:
She said she didn't love him anymore. after saying that, decided to separate.
(Avoid: She said she didn't love him anymore. After saying that she didn't love him anymore, they decided to separate.)
3) Substitution with undefined pronouns:
Teachers attended the students' graduation and all were honored.
(Avoid: Teachers attended student graduation and all teachers were honored.)
4) Substitution with adverbial pronouns:
The children went to the amusement park, but when they arrived there, there were no more tickets.
(Avoid: The kids went to the amusement park, but when they arrived at the amusement park, there were no more tickets.)
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5)Substitution with relative pronouns:
He followed a military career and stopped being a musician, what it was his true calling.
(Avoid: He followed a military career and stopped being a musician, being a musician was his true calling.)
6) Substitution with numeral pronouns:
Mother and son arrived late at the airport, so they both missed their flight.
(Avoid: Mother and son arrived late at the airport, so mother and son missed their flight.)
► Substitution through synonyms, hyperonyms and hyponyms:
1) Synonyms:
You students had studied a lot for the assessment of Mathematics, as they knew that the content was not easy. However, the teacher decided to replace the proof for group work, which made the students.
(Avoid: The students had studied a lot for the Mathematics assessment, as they knew that the content was not easy. However, the teacher decided to replace the assessment with group work, which made the students happy.)
2) Hyperonyms and hyponyms:
saved the carts, the dolls and the ball in the chest. there was no more toys scattered on the floor of the house. (toys is a hyperonym of the words carts, dolls and ball).
(Avoid: Put the carts, dolls and ball in the chest. There were no more carts, dolls and balls on the floor of the house.)
You birds were apprehended by the Environmental Military Police. Land canaries, toucans and jandaias would be illegally marketed in Argentina and Uruguay (canaries of the land, toucans and jandaias are hyponyms of the word birds).
(Avoid: The birds were seized by the Environmental Military Police. The birds would be illegally traded in Argentina and Uruguay).
By Luana Castro
Graduated in Letters
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PEREZ, Luana Castro Alves. "How to avoid repeating words?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/redacao/como-evitar-repeticao-palavras.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
