Replace with and Substitute for

[Tom]

Hello everybody

Could you please tell me if the given expressions are totally interchangeable?

* Substitute for
* Replace with

* Can I replace ice-cream with pudding?
* Can I substitute ice-cream for pudding?

PS: Is it "an ice-cream" or only "ice-cream"?

Thanks

Tom

[Tom]

Dear Amy

I wonder if you liked my question!!!

Tom

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

No, I didn't.

1. No, they are not totally interchangeable.

2. "Replace" is often used when one thing has been lost or destroyed and you need another (new) one. "Replace" also has further meanings (such as "to return (something) to the original place"/"put back")

3. "Substitute" often has the sense of "exchange" or "temporarily replace".

4. You can say "an ice-cream" in the sense of "a serving of" or a dish of" ice-cream.

Amy
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English