The phrase "a substitute for this" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing alternatives or replacements for a specific item, concept, or idea.
Example: "If you don't have the original ingredient, you can use a substitute for this in the recipe."
Alternatives: "an alternative to this" or "a replacement for this".
Technological gimmicks can never be a substitute for this.
She had been a member of the orchestra for four years; he had been hired as a substitute for this concert.
The courts ruled that, contrary to the union's assertions, no other type of wood could serve as a substitute for this product, which is a five-ply plywood termed known for its lack of knots and splices.
"If Mr Mohammed had been informed timely [ie, before the destruction of the original] that the Commission was approving a substitute for this evidence, Mr Mohammed would have had the right and ability to bring a motion to compel disclosure of the original evidence," Mohammed's attorneys wrote on 10 May, despite "apparently prohibitive" military commissions rules.
As a substitute for this model, Sebastian Thrun, David Stevans and Mike Sokolsky teamed up to create Udacity as a way to democratize education.
Is formal teaching a substitute for this?
It collaborated with Cirque du Soleil, which conceived the Beatles "Love" show in Las Vegas, to create this galumphing sensory assault, presumably a substitute for the Jackson "This Is It" run of shows that never was.
I leave wondering: can shared political belief provide a substitute for the out-of-this-world high provided by shared religious conviction?
If you have been using REMOTE_USER as a substitute for the email address, this may no longer work.
Mathis, who had a sprained right ankle, was used as a substitute for the first time this season, entering the game in the 55th minute.
