When do you use instead of in a sentence?

You use "instead of" in a sentence when you want to express that something is being used or done in place of something else. It indicates a substitution or an alternative.

Here are some examples:

* I'll have tea instead of coffee today. (Tea replaces coffee)

* Let's go to the park instead of the movies. (Park replaces movies)

* She used a pencil instead of a pen. (Pencil replaces pen)

* He decided to walk instead of taking the bus. (Walking replaces taking the bus)

"Instead of" is often followed by a noun, pronoun, or verb phrase.

Note: "Instead of" can also be used to introduce a contrast or comparison:

* He studied hard instead of playing video games. (This highlights the difference between studying and playing games)

* They chose to donate to charity instead of buying expensive gifts. (This contrasts the actions of donating and buying gifts)