關於漢譯英，我想談三個要點：1.替代（substitution）；2.主謂（subject-predicate）；3.主從(subordination)。這三個要點用英語表述，第一個字母都是S，因此可以簡稱「三S要點」。譯文質量不高，往往是因為這三個問題沒有處理好。換言之，若這三個問題處理得較好，可以為譯文增色不少。這一講，就集中談「替代」。
英語不喜歡重複，如果在一句話裡或相連的幾句話裡需要重複某個詞語，則用代詞來代替，或以其他手段來避免重複。漢語不怕重複，連續使用某個詞語是常見的事。所以漢譯英時要千方百計避免重複，多用代稱；英譯漢時則要少用代稱，多用實詞。
說起「替代」，我們當然首先想到代詞。
代詞的使用，在英語和漢語裡有很大的不同。總的說來，英語代詞用得多，漢語代詞用得少。因此，英譯漢時，有些代詞可以不譯。漢譯英時則要在適當的地方增加代詞，特別是物主代詞。用代詞以避免重複的例子，更是比比皆是。
例1．一切都要從這個實際出發，根據這個實際來制訂規劃。
In everything we do we must proceed from this reality, and all planning must be consistent with it.
例2．走社會主義道路,就是要逐步實現共同富裕。共同富裕的構想是這樣提出的：一部分地區有條件先發展起來，一部分地區發展慢點，先發展起來的地區帶動後發展的地區，最終達到共同富裕。……解決的辦法之一，就是先富起來的地區多交點利稅，支持貧困地區的發展。
To take the road to socialism is to realize common prosperity step by step. Our plan is as follows: where conditions permit, some areas may develop faster than others; those that develop faster can help promote the progress of those that lag behind, until all become prosperous…. One way is for the areas that become prosperous first to support the poor ones by paying more taxes or turning in more profits to the state.
例3．要提倡科學，靠科學才有希望。
We must promote science, for that is where our hope lies.
例4．目前我們國內正在進行改革。我是主張改革的，不改革就沒有出路。
China is now carrying out a reform. I am all in favor of that. There is no other solution for us.
例5．最近，有的外國人議論，馬克思主義是打不倒的。打不倒，並不是因為大本子多，而是因為馬克思主義的真理顛撲不破。
Recently, some foreigners said that Marxism cannot be defeated. That is so not because there are so many big books, but because Marxism is the irrefutable truth.
以上五例都用了代詞以避免重複。例1用it代替this reality，例2用others，those和ones代替areas，例3至例5都用that概括了前面的話。
說起代詞，還有兩點值得注意。一是英語常用she（her）代替某個國家或某一條船。
例6．The delta and the narrow Nile Valley to the south make up only 3 percent of Egypt’s land but are home to 96 percent of her population. (National Geographic)
例7．Have you ever been at sea in a dense fog, when it seemed as if a tangible white darkness shut you in, and the great ship, tense and anxious, groped her way toward the shore with plummet and sounding-line and you waited with beating heart for something to happen? (Helen Keller, The Story of My Life)
例8．現階段中國已經實現了糧食基本自給，在未來的發展過程中，中國依靠自己的力量實現糧食基本自給，客觀上具備諸多有利因素。
China has basically achieved self-sufficiency in grain at the present stage, and there are many favorable objective factors for her to maintain such achievement by her own efforts in the course of future development.
例9．社會主義中國應該用實踐向世界表明，中國反對霸權主義、強權政治，永不稱霸。
Socialist China should show the world through its actions that it is opposed to hegemonism and power politics and will never seek hegemony.
這種用she（her）指國家和船隻的用法由來已久，現在指國家，倒是用it（its）的較為多見。Michael Swan所著《英語用法指南》（Practical English Usage）第227條對這一問題作了詳細的說明。
還有一種現象值得注意，那就是用they指單數。2004年出版的《牛津高階英漢雙解詞典》（第6版）有這樣的例句：
例10．Everyone must accept their share of the blame. (見share條)
例11．Should anyone call (= if anyone calls), please tell them I’m busy. (見should條)
例12．Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. (見entitle條)
用they指單數就可避免he or she之類的累贅說法。上述《英語用法指南》第505條也對這一問題作了詳細的說明。