can u use personal pronouns in a reflective essay

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Use of Pronouns in Academic Writing

Published by Alvin Nicolas at August 17th, 2021 , Revised On August 24, 2023

Pronouns are words that make reference to both specific and nonspecific things and people. They are used in place of nouns.

First-person pronouns (I, We) are rarely used in academic writing. They are primarily used in a reflective piece, such as a reflective essay or personal statement. You should avoid using second-person pronouns such as “you” and “yours”. The use of third-person pronouns (He, She, They) is allowed, but it is still recommended to consider gender bias when using them in academic writing.

The antecedent of a pronoun is the noun that the pronoun represents. In English, you will see the antecedent appear both before and after the pronoun, even though it is usually mentioned in the text before the pronoun. The students could not complete the work on time because they procrastinated for too long. Before he devoured a big burger, Michael looked a bit nervous.

The Antecedent of a Pronoun

Make sure the antecedent is evident and explicit whenever you use a pronoun in a sentence. You may want to replace the pronoun with the noun to eliminate any vagueness.

After the production and the car’s mechanical inspection were complete, it was delivered to the owner.

In the above sentence, it is unclear what the pronoun “it” is referring to.

After the production and the car’s mechanical inspection was complete, the car was delivered to the owner.

Use of First Person Pronouns (I, We) in Academic Writing

The use of first-person pronouns, such as “I” and “We”, is a widely debated topic in academic writing.

While some style guides, such as ‘APA” and “Harvard”, encourage first-person pronouns when describing the author’s actions, many other style guides discourage their use in academic writing to keep the attention to the information presented within rather than who describes it.

Similarly, you will find some leniency towards the use of first-person pronouns in some academic disciplines, while others strictly prohibit using them to maintain an impartial and neutral tone.

It will be fair to say that first-person pronouns are increasingly regular in many forms of academic writing. If ever in doubt whether or not you should use first-person pronouns in your essay or assignment, speak with your tutor to be entirely sure.

Avoid overusing first-person pronouns in academic papers regardless of the style guide used. It is recommended to use them only where required for improving the clarity of the text.

If you are writing about a situation involving only yourself or if you are the sole author of the paper, then use the singular pronouns (I, my). Use plural pronouns (We, They, Our) when there are coauthors to work.

Avoiding First Person Pronouns

You can avoid first-person pronouns by employing any of the following three methods.

There are advantages and disadvantages of each of these three strategies. For example, passive voice introduces dangling modifiers, which can make your text unclear and ambiguous. Therefore, it would be best to keep first-person pronouns in the text if you can use them.

In some forms of academic writing, such as a personal statement and reflective essay, it is completely acceptable to use first-person pronouns.

The Problem with the Editorial We

Avoid using the first person plural to refer to people in academic text, known as the “editorial we”. The use of the “editorial we” is quite common in newspapers when the author speaks on behalf of the people to express a shared experience or view.

Refrain from using broad generalizations in academic text. You have to be crystal clear and very specific about who you are making reference to. Use nouns in place of pronouns where possible.

When we tested the data, we found that the hypothesis to be incorrect.
When the researchers tested the data, they found the hypothesis to be incorrect.
As we started to work on the project, we realized how complex the requirements were.
As the students started to work on the project, they realized how complex the requirements were.

If you are talking on behalf of a specific group you belong to, then the use of “we” is acceptable.

It is essential to be aware of our own
It is essential for essayists to be aware of their own weaknesses.
Essayists need to be aware of their own

Use of Second Person Pronouns (You) in Academic Writing

It is strictly prohibited to use the second-person pronoun “you” to address the audience in any form of academic writing. You can rephrase the sentence or introduce the impersonal pronoun “one” to avoid second-person pronouns in the text.

To achieve the highest academic grade, you must avoid procrastination.
To achieve the highest academic grade, one must avoid procrastination.
As you can notice in below Table 2.1, all participants selected the first option.
As shown in below Table 2.1, all participants selected the first option.

Use of Third Person Pronouns (He, She, They) in Academic Writing

Third-person pronouns in the English language are usually gendered (She/Her, He/Him). Educational institutes worldwide are increasingly advocating for gender-neutral language, so you should avoid using third-person pronouns in academic text.

In the older academic text, you will see gender-based nouns (Fishermen, Traitor) and pronouns (him, her, he, she) being commonly used. However, this style of writing is outdated and warned against in the present times.

You may also see some authors using both masculine and feminine pronouns, such as “he” or “she”, in the same text, but this generally results in unclear and inappropriate sentences.

Considering using gender-neutral pronouns, such as “they”, ‘there”, “them” for unknown people and undetermined people. The use of “they” in academic writing is highly encouraged. Many style guides, including Harvard, MLA, and APA, now endorse gender natural pronouns in academic writing.

On the other hand, you can also choose to avoid using pronouns altogether by either revising the sentence structure or pluralizing the sentence’s subject.

When a student is asked to write an essay, he can take a specific position on the topic.
When a student is asked to write an essay, they can take a specific position on the topic.
When students are asked to write an essay, they are expected to take a specific position on the topic.
Students are expected to take a specific position on the essay topic.
The writer submitted his work for approval
The writer submitted their work for approval.
The writers submitted their work for approval.
The writers’ work was submitted for approval.

Make sure it is clear who you are referring to with the singular “they” pronoun. You may want to rewrite the sentence or name the subject directly if the pronoun makes the sentence ambiguous.

For example, in the following example, you can see it is unclear who the plural pronoun “they” is referring to. To avoid confusion, the subject is named directly, and the context approves that “their paper” addresses the writer.

If the writer doesn’t complete the client’s paper in time, they will be frustrated.
The client will be frustrated if the writer doesn’t complete their paper in due time.

If you need to make reference to a specific person, it would be better to address them using self-identified pronouns. For example, in the following sentence, you can see that each person is referred to using a different possessive pronoun.

The students described their experience with different academic projects: Mike talked about his essay, James talked about their poster presentation, and Sara talked about her dissertation paper.

Ensure Consistency Throughout the Text

Avoid switching back and forth between first-person pronouns (I, We, Our) and third-person pronouns (The writers, the students) in a single piece. It is vitally important to maintain consistency throughout the text.

For example, The writers completed the work in due time, and our content quality is well above the standard expected. We completed the work in due time, and our content quality is well above the standard expected. The writers completed the work in due time, and the content quality is well above the standard expected.“

How to Use Demonstrative Pronouns (This, That, Those, These) in Academic Writing

Make sure it is clear who you are referring to when using demonstrative pronouns. Consider placing a descriptive word or phrase after the demonstrative pronouns to give more clarity to the sentence.

For example, The political relationship between Israel and Arab states has continued to worsen over the last few decades, contrary to the expectations of enthusiasts in the regional political sphere. This shows that a lot more needs to be done to tackle this. The political relationship between Israel and Arab states has continued to worsen over the last few decades, contrary to the expectations of enthusiasts in the regional political sphere. This situation shows that a lot more needs to be done to tackle this issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 8 types of pronouns.

The 8 types of pronouns are:

Personal: Refers to specific persons.
Demonstrative: Points to specific things.
Interrogative: Used for questioning.
Possessive: Shows ownership.
Reflexive: Reflects the subject.
Reciprocal: Indicates mutual action.
Relative: Introduces relative clauses.
Indefinite: Refers vaguely or generally.

Language of academic reflections

Guidance on the language of academic reflections.

Private reflections only have to make sense to you and therefore the language and structure can take any form you like. In contrast, academic reflections have certain characteristics; knowing these will help you write good academic reflections. While this page is specifically focused on academic reflective writing, a lot of the advice is true for private reflections as well.

General language points

Use ‘I’ and other personal pronouns (reflections are centred around you)
Use subject-specific language and terminology (use the same language as you would in an essay, just centred around your own experiences)
Use succinct and formal language

Language points for specific aspects of reflective writing

A summary of key points to remember at different stages of reflection:

When describing
When writing about thoughts and feelings
When analysing/interpreting/evaluating
When concluding and planning

Language points when describing

Use clear and precise language. For example, use ‘working on a group project on […] with three other students’ rather than ‘working on a group project with some other students’
Be as objective as possible. For example ‘The younger children were hanging out at the corner’ rather than ‘the younger children were barricading the corner’ – It may have felt that way but was that actually their intent? If it felt that way, the feelings should be expressed explicitly.
Be concise.
Almost always use the past tense.
Use temporal indicators and transitional language. For example: yesterday, last week, then, subsequently, lastly, etc.

Helpful phrases are ‘I saw…’, ‘I noticed…’, ‘I/they said…’, ‘I had…’, ‘I/they did…’, ‘I heard…’

Language points when writing about thoughts and feelings

Use thinking and sensing verbs. For example, ‘I believe…’, ‘I think…’, ‘My opinion is…’, ‘I feel…’, ‘I understand…’, ‘I was happy/angry/…’ etc.
Be cautious not to use ‘feel’ to hide judgement or opinion. For instance ‘I felt they were wrong’, or ‘my feeling was that it was a good choice’. Both of these sentences use feelings as a way to pass judgement. The latter of the examples can be rewritten as ‘I felt confident while making the choice, because…’
Be aware of tense. Sometimes you are remembering feelings you had at the time of the event, which should be written in past tense. Sometimes you are talking about current and persistent feelings. Use present tense for feelings you have at the time of writing.
Feelings should be processed. For academic reflection you should not write in the heat of the moment. The feelings should be presented to aid the understanding of the situation and help you to make connections – this is not a place to rant.

Language points when analysing/interpreting/evaluating

Use comparative/contrasting language. For instance, ‘similarly’, ‘unlike’, ‘just as’, ‘in contrast to’.
Use causal language to show connects and conclusion. For instance, ‘as a result of’, ‘due to’, ‘therefore’, ‘because’.

Below is a downloadable flow diagram of useful language for creating the analysing, interpreting, and evaluating part of your academic reflections . It is important to note that just because you use the diagrams, you will not automatically produce good reflections and get a good mark. The diagrams can serve as inspiration and support.

Language points when concluding and planning

Sum up/highlight the most crucial learning outcomes.
Use future-tense verbs to indicate future actions or practice. For instance: ‘intend to’, ‘will’, ‘may’, ‘should’, etc.

Below is a downloadable flow diagram of useful language for creating the conclusion and planning aspect of your academic reflections . It is important to note that just because you use the diagrams, you will not automatically produce good reflections and get a good mark. The diagrams can serve as inspiration and support.

References:

Ryan, M., 2011. Improving reflective writing in higher education: a social semiotic perspective. Teaching in Higher Education, 16(1), 99-111.

University of Portsmouth, Department for Curriculum and Quality Enhancement (date unavailable). Reflective Writing: a basic introduction [online]. Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth.

Queen Margaret University, Effective Learning Service (date unavailable). Reflection. [online]. Edinburgh: Queen Margaret University.

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Should I Use “I”?

What this handout is about.

This handout is about determining when to use first person pronouns (“I”, “we,” “me,” “us,” “my,” and “our”) and personal experience in academic writing. “First person” and “personal experience” might sound like two ways of saying the same thing, but first person and personal experience can work in very different ways in your writing. You might choose to use “I” but not make any reference to your individual experiences in a particular paper. Or you might include a brief description of an experience that could help illustrate a point you’re making without ever using the word “I.” So whether or not you should use first person and personal experience are really two separate questions, both of which this handout addresses. It also offers some alternatives if you decide that either “I” or personal experience isn’t appropriate for your project. If you’ve decided that you do want to use one of them, this handout offers some ideas about how to do so effectively, because in many cases using one or the other might strengthen your writing.

Expectations about academic writing

Students often arrive at college with strict lists of writing rules in mind. Often these are rather strict lists of absolutes, including rules both stated and unstated:

Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs.
Don’t begin a sentence with “and” or “because.”
Never include personal opinion.
Never use “I” in essays.

We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds. The problem is that overly strict rules about writing can prevent us, as writers, from being flexible enough to learn to adapt to the writing styles of different fields, ranging from the sciences to the humanities, and different kinds of writing projects, ranging from reviews to research.

So when it suits your purpose as a scholar, you will probably need to break some of the old rules, particularly the rules that prohibit first person pronouns and personal experience. Although there are certainly some instructors who think that these rules should be followed (so it is a good idea to ask directly), many instructors in all kinds of fields are finding reason to depart from these rules. Avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, whereas using it in your writing can improve style and clarity. Using personal experience, when relevant, can add concreteness and even authority to writing that might otherwise be vague and impersonal. Because college writing situations vary widely in terms of stylistic conventions, tone, audience, and purpose, the trick is deciphering the conventions of your writing context and determining how your purpose and audience affect the way you write. The rest of this handout is devoted to strategies for figuring out when to use “I” and personal experience.

Effective uses of “I”:

In many cases, using the first person pronoun can improve your writing, by offering the following benefits:

Assertiveness: In some cases you might wish to emphasize agency (who is doing what), as for instance if you need to point out how valuable your particular project is to an academic discipline or to claim your unique perspective or argument.
Clarity: Because trying to avoid the first person can lead to awkward constructions and vagueness, using the first person can improve your writing style.
Positioning yourself in the essay: In some projects, you need to explain how your research or ideas build on or depart from the work of others, in which case you’ll need to say “I,” “we,” “my,” or “our”; if you wish to claim some kind of authority on the topic, first person may help you do so.

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

Here is an example of how using the first person can make the writing clearer and more assertive:

Original example:

In studying American popular culture of the 1980s, the question of to what degree materialism was a major characteristic of the cultural milieu was explored.

Better example using first person:

In our study of American popular culture of the 1980s, we explored the degree to which materialism characterized the cultural milieu.

The original example sounds less emphatic and direct than the revised version; using “I” allows the writers to avoid the convoluted construction of the original and clarifies who did what.

Here is an example in which alternatives to the first person would be more appropriate:

As I observed the communication styles of first-year Carolina women, I noticed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

Better example:

A study of the communication styles of first-year Carolina women revealed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

In the original example, using the first person grounds the experience heavily in the writer’s subjective, individual perspective, but the writer’s purpose is to describe a phenomenon that is in fact objective or independent of that perspective. Avoiding the first person here creates the desired impression of an observed phenomenon that could be reproduced and also creates a stronger, clearer statement.

Here’s another example in which an alternative to first person works better:

As I was reading this study of medieval village life, I noticed that social class tended to be clearly defined.

This study of medieval village life reveals that social class tended to be clearly defined.

Although you may run across instructors who find the casual style of the original example refreshing, they are probably rare. The revised version sounds more academic and renders the statement more assertive and direct.

Here’s a final example:

I think that Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases, or at least it seems that way to me.

Better example

Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases.

In this example, there is no real need to announce that that statement about Aristotle is your thought; this is your paper, so readers will assume that the ideas in it are yours.

Determining whether to use “I” according to the conventions of the academic field

Which fields allow “I”?

The rules for this are changing, so it’s always best to ask your instructor if you’re not sure about using first person. But here are some general guidelines.

Sciences: In the past, scientific writers avoided the use of “I” because scientists often view the first person as interfering with the impression of objectivity and impersonality they are seeking to create. But conventions seem to be changing in some cases—for instance, when a scientific writer is describing a project she is working on or positioning that project within the existing research on the topic. Check with your science instructor to find out whether it’s o.k. to use “I” in their class.

Social Sciences: Some social scientists try to avoid “I” for the same reasons that other scientists do. But first person is becoming more commonly accepted, especially when the writer is describing their project or perspective.

Humanities: Ask your instructor whether you should use “I.” The purpose of writing in the humanities is generally to offer your own analysis of language, ideas, or a work of art. Writers in these fields tend to value assertiveness and to emphasize agency (who’s doing what), so the first person is often—but not always—appropriate. Sometimes writers use the first person in a less effective way, preceding an assertion with “I think,” “I feel,” or “I believe” as if such a phrase could replace a real defense of an argument. While your audience is generally interested in your perspective in the humanities fields, readers do expect you to fully argue, support, and illustrate your assertions. Personal belief or opinion is generally not sufficient in itself; you will need evidence of some kind to convince your reader.

Other writing situations: If you’re writing a speech, use of the first and even the second person (“you”) is generally encouraged because these personal pronouns can create a desirable sense of connection between speaker and listener and can contribute to the sense that the speaker is sincere and involved in the issue. If you’re writing a resume, though, avoid the first person; describe your experience, education, and skills without using a personal pronoun (for example, under “Experience” you might write “Volunteered as a peer counselor”).

A note on the second person “you”:

In situations where your intention is to sound conversational and friendly because it suits your purpose, as it does in this handout intended to offer helpful advice, or in a letter or speech, “you” might help to create just the sense of familiarity you’re after. But in most academic writing situations, “you” sounds overly conversational, as for instance in a claim like “when you read the poem ‘The Wasteland,’ you feel a sense of emptiness.” In this case, the “you” sounds overly conversational. The statement would read better as “The poem ‘The Wasteland’ creates a sense of emptiness.” Academic writers almost always use alternatives to the second person pronoun, such as “one,” “the reader,” or “people.”

Personal experience in academic writing

The question of whether personal experience has a place in academic writing depends on context and purpose. In papers that seek to analyze an objective principle or data as in science papers, or in papers for a field that explicitly tries to minimize the effect of the researcher’s presence such as anthropology, personal experience would probably distract from your purpose. But sometimes you might need to explicitly situate your position as researcher in relation to your subject of study. Or if your purpose is to present your individual response to a work of art, to offer examples of how an idea or theory might apply to life, or to use experience as evidence or a demonstration of an abstract principle, personal experience might have a legitimate role to play in your academic writing. Using personal experience effectively usually means keeping it in the service of your argument, as opposed to letting it become an end in itself or take over the paper.

It’s also usually best to keep your real or hypothetical stories brief, but they can strengthen arguments in need of concrete illustrations or even just a little more vitality.

Here are some examples of effective ways to incorporate personal experience in academic writing:

Anecdotes: In some cases, brief examples of experiences you’ve had or witnessed may serve as useful illustrations of a point you’re arguing or a theory you’re evaluating. For instance, in philosophical arguments, writers often use a real or hypothetical situation to illustrate abstract ideas and principles.
References to your own experience can explain your interest in an issue or even help to establish your authority on a topic.
Some specific writing situations, such as application essays, explicitly call for discussion of personal experience.

Here are some suggestions about including personal experience in writing for specific fields:

Philosophy: In philosophical writing, your purpose is generally to reconstruct or evaluate an existing argument, and/or to generate your own. Sometimes, doing this effectively may involve offering a hypothetical example or an illustration. In these cases, you might find that inventing or recounting a scenario that you’ve experienced or witnessed could help demonstrate your point. Personal experience can play a very useful role in your philosophy papers, as long as you always explain to the reader how the experience is related to your argument. (See our handout on writing in philosophy for more information.)

Religion: Religion courses might seem like a place where personal experience would be welcomed. But most religion courses take a cultural, historical, or textual approach, and these generally require objectivity and impersonality. So although you probably have very strong beliefs or powerful experiences in this area that might motivate your interest in the field, they shouldn’t supplant scholarly analysis. But ask your instructor, as it is possible that they are interested in your personal experiences with religion, especially in less formal assignments such as response papers. (See our handout on writing in religious studies for more information.)

Literature, Music, Fine Arts, and Film: Writing projects in these fields can sometimes benefit from the inclusion of personal experience, as long as it isn’t tangential. For instance, your annoyance over your roommate’s habits might not add much to an analysis of “Citizen Kane.” However, if you’re writing about Ridley Scott’s treatment of relationships between women in the movie “Thelma and Louise,” some reference your own observations about these relationships might be relevant if it adds to your analysis of the film. Personal experience can be especially appropriate in a response paper, or in any kind of assignment that asks about your experience of the work as a reader or viewer. Some film and literature scholars are interested in how a film or literary text is received by different audiences, so a discussion of how a particular viewer or reader experiences or identifies with the piece would probably be appropriate. (See our handouts on writing about fiction , art history , and drama for more information.)

Women’s Studies: Women’s Studies classes tend to be taught from a feminist perspective, a perspective which is generally interested in the ways in which individuals experience gender roles. So personal experience can often serve as evidence for your analytical and argumentative papers in this field. This field is also one in which you might be asked to keep a journal, a kind of writing that requires you to apply theoretical concepts to your experiences.

History: If you’re analyzing a historical period or issue, personal experience is less likely to advance your purpose of objectivity. However, some kinds of historical scholarship do involve the exploration of personal histories. So although you might not be referencing your own experience, you might very well be discussing other people’s experiences as illustrations of their historical contexts. (See our handout on writing in history for more information.)

Sciences: Because the primary purpose is to study data and fixed principles in an objective way, personal experience is less likely to have a place in this kind of writing. Often, as in a lab report, your goal is to describe observations in such a way that a reader could duplicate the experiment, so the less extra information, the better. Of course, if you’re working in the social sciences, case studies—accounts of the personal experiences of other people—are a crucial part of your scholarship. (See our handout on writing in the sciences for more information.)

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Reflective writing style

Learning to write reflectively will equip you with the relevant ethical and analytical ability to benefit from your practical experiences. Reflection may be articulated differently, depending on whether you are speaking or writing about your experiences. There is no right or wrong way to write reflectively!

Reflective writing differs from standard academic writing in that it is more personal in nature. This means that you can use the personal pronoun “I” and talk about your own thoughts and feelings. It is important, however, not to be too casual or conversational. Reflective writing should include essential details, written directly and concisely. Clear examples are very useful. Deeper level reflective writing may also connect with the literature you have been reading, to support or even contradict what you have experienced.

Howatson-Jones, L (2010). Reflecting writing. In Reflective practice in nursing . Exeter; Learning Matters p. 120-121

Guided reflection

Guidelines for keeping a reflective diary/journal & writing up critical reflective incidents.

Keep a journal of experiences over the year.
Write up the journal entry/incident.
Below the entry write up your reflections / analysis notes of the situation.
Write up experiences the same day if possible.
Use actual dialogue wherever possible to capture the situation.
Make a habit of writing up at least one experience per work day/shift.
Balance problematic experiences with satisfying experience.
Challenge yourself at least once a day about something that you normally do without thought / take for granted.
Ask yourself 'why do I do that?' (i.e. make the normal problematic)
Always endeavour to be open and honest with yourself - find the authentic 'you' to do the writing.

Ask yourself these questions:

What did I learn from the situation?
In what way has it assisted my learning to be a health practitioner?
Could the situation have been better managed?

Johns (1992) & Carper (1978) in P. Palmer, S. Burns and C. Bulman, C., Reflective practice in nursing (1994). London. Blackwell Scientific Publications. p. 112.

20.8 Spotlight on … Pronouns in Context

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Recognize and avoid gender bias in writing and general language use.
Apply conventions of usage and current terminology to writing, including gender-neutral pronouns when applicable.

By now, you have a working knowledge of what pronouns are and how to use them. This section focuses on more nuanced uses of pronouns and their place in the contemporary world—an emerging field of interest as people work to develop language that best captures their multiple identities.

Eliminating Gender Bias

It is important to remember that many thoughtful and powerful English-language works from the past took masculine words for granted. English use of words such as man , men , he , him , and his was, one would hope, meant to include both men and women. Consider Thomas Jefferson ’s “All men are created equal” and Thomas Paine ’s “These are the times that try men’s souls.” The contemporary equivalent of those words might be “All people are created equal” and “These are the times that try our souls,” which are two of several possible fixes for such gender exclusivity. When you read historic texts, recognize that the rules were different then, and the writers are no more at fault than the culture in which they lived. Contemporary writing, however, should reflect inclusivity, which in turn reflects the culture in which you live today. (See Spotlight on… Bias in Language and Research for more about language bias.)

As you edit to avoid gender-biased language, you will notice that English does not have an agreed-upon gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun to match the gender-neutral third-person plural pronouns ( they , their , them ). Writers and speakers use he ( him , his ) for men and she ( her , hers ) for women. In the sentence “Everybody has his own opinion,” the indefinite pronoun everybody needs a singular pronoun to refer to it. Although it is grammatically correct to say, “Everybody has his own opinion,” the sentence excludes women. But until recently, it was considered grammatically questionable to write, “Everybody has their own opinion,” although their is gender neutral. When editing, be alert to such constructions, and consider these ways to use or fix them:

Make the sentence plural: “People have their own opinions.”
Include both pronouns (This solution excludes people who do not fall within a gender binary.): “Everybody has his or her own opinion.”
Eliminate the pronoun: “Everybody has an opinion.”
Alternate masculine and feminine pronouns throughout your sentences or paragraphs, using she in one paragraph and he in the next. Be careful, though; to avoid confusing readers, you might change them in each section or chapter.

Most writers have used all of these solutions at one time or another. As always, use the strategy that makes for the clearest, most graceful writing.

Additionally, it has become more common and generally accepted to use they , their , and them as singular pronouns. However, depending on the context, using a plural pronoun to refer to a single individual can be confusing to readers when its antecedent is unclear.

Pronouns for Nonbinary and Transgender People

You cannot always know how individuals identify themselves, nor can you assume their gender is either male or female. The best approach with people you don’t know is simply to ask which pronouns they prefer and to respect their choice. Some people identify themselves with the pronouns they/them/theirs , and this preference is generally acceptable politically, socially, and grammatically. Other gender-neutral pronouns exist as well, such as ze/hir/hirs , but they are used less often. If you are unsure, an option is simply to use the person’s name.

If an individual has a specific identity and prefers a masculine, feminine, or gender-neutral pronoun, there are ways they can inform people of it. (Notice the use here of they as a singular pronoun.) For example, if one identifies as female , that person can include the pronouns she/her as part of their email signature: “Jane Doe (she/her).” Similarly, a person who identifies as nonbinary can include the preferred pronouns they/them/their in their signature.

Write about Pronouns

Take a moment and write about how pronoun use impacts you. Also, write about how people understand each other through pronouns, while being mindful of the differences between people. Think carefully about perspectives on gender, and be sure to respect other points of view and interpretations of pronoun use. Finally, explain how pronoun use is an important component of identity.

As an additional exercise, review your portfolio and (re)consider your use of pronouns. Your development as a writer and enhanced understanding of pronouns will provide new insight into their use. Where might you have made other decisions about pronouns, and what impact might they have had? Consider including these insights in your reflective essay.

Avoid Discriminatory Language

Above all, your writing should not hurt people or exclude any group from humanity. As you edit, ensure that your language does not discriminate against categories of people based on gender, race, ethnicity, social class, or sexual orientation—or anything else.

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Authors: Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, featuring Toby Fulwiler
Publisher/website: OpenStax
Book title: Writing Guide with Handbook
Publication date: Dec 21, 2021
Location: Houston, Texas
Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/writing-guide/pages/1-unit-introduction
Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/writing-guide/pages/20-8-spotlight-on-pronouns-in-context

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Nouns and pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns | Examples, Definition & List

Published on 26 January 2023 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 10 May 2023.

A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that’s used in the object position when the subject and object of the sentence are the same (i.e., to show someone acting on themselves). For example, ‘himself’ is a reflexive pronoun in the sentence ‘He hurt himself while cooking’.

Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves depending on whether they’re singular or plural. Each of the personal pronouns , along with the impersonal pronoun ‘one’, has a reflexive form. They are listed in the table below.

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How are reflexive pronouns used in sentences, common mistakes with reflexive pronouns, themselves vs themself, ‘by’ + reflexive pronoun, reflexive vs emphatic pronouns, reflexive vs reciprocal pronouns, frequently asked questions.

A reflexive pronoun is used in the same places where an object pronoun would normally appear. The reflexive pronoun is used to avoid confusion when the object of the sentence is the same person or thing as the subject.

Like an object pronoun, a reflexive pronoun can serve as either a direct or indirect object. The same pronoun is used in either case.

A direct object is the person or thing directly affect by the action of the verb.
An indirect object is the person or thing that receives the direct object.

You ought to give yourself a break .

The dog is scratching itself again.

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Reflexive pronouns are commonly misused in ways that are important to avoid in formal writing. The two most common mistakes are:

Using them in place of subject or object pronouns
Using a misspelling such as ‘hisself’

Reflexive pronouns used in place of subject or object pronouns

Reflexive pronouns, especially ‘myself’, are commonly used inappropriately in an attempt to sound more formal in professional communication . Remember that ‘myself’ is not just a fancy version of ‘I’ or ‘me’; it plays a different grammatical role.

This commonly occurs in compound subjects or objects like ‘Steven or myself’. In the subject position, such a phrase is always incorrect. In the object position, it’s almost always incorrect, although it could be correct in such an unlikely sentence as ‘I talk to Steven or myself’.

To spot the error, consider how the sentence would sound if you removed the other words making up the subject or object. This also helps you to decide whether you need a subject or object pronoun instead:

Please reach out to Steven or myself if you have any questions. [ ‘reach out to myself’ ]
Please reach out to me or Steven if you have any questions. [ ‘reach out to me’ ]
Emil and myself will be your instructors for the day. [ ‘myself will be’ ]
Emil and I will be your instructors for the day. [ ‘I will be’ ]

‘Hisself’, ‘theirselves’, and ‘theirself’

Because some reflexive pronouns are formed using the possessive pronoun in combination with ‘-self’ (e.g., my + self = myself ), another common mistake is to assume this rule applies to the formation of all reflexive pronouns, producing misspellings such as ‘hisself’, ‘theirselves’, and ‘theirself’.

In fact, these reflexives are formed using the object pronoun instead of the possessive, so the correct spellings are himself , themselves , and themself .

You may have noticed that plural reflexive pronouns end in -selves instead of -self . This creates an issue when using the singular ‘they’. Because themselves is traditionally plural, it has the plural ending, but some argue that it should have a singular ending when it’s used in a singular sense: themself .

The use of the singular ‘they’ is now widely endorsed by style guides, but the issue of whether to use themself hasn’t been decided yet. Usage of this singular version is increasing, but it isn’t regarded as standard by all authorities yet. The safest option for now is still to use themselves for the singular form too.

Ourself is a rarely used and old-fashioned version of ourselves . It’s used when a person refers to themselves in the plural.

This is traditionally done by monarchs; it’s called the royal ‘we’. For example, a queen might say ‘We will seat ourself by the window’ in reference to herself. Outside of such unusual usages as this, you should stick with ourselves and avoid writing ourself .

Writing ‘by’ followed by a reflexive pronoun (e.g., ‘by myself’) creates a prepositional phrase meaning ‘without help from anyone else’ or ‘alone’.

One shouldn’t spend too much time by oneself .

All reflexive pronouns can also be used in combination with another noun or pronoun to place special emphasis the person or thing in question. When used in this way, they are called emphatic pronouns . The emphatic pronoun may appear directly after the noun or pronoun modified or at another point in the sentence.

The meaning of an emphatic pronoun is often something like ‘and nobody/nothing else’, although they can also be used for other kinds of emphasis, such as distinguishing the speaker from other people.

I myself have never been to Tokyo, but I’ve heard good things about it.

The reciprocal pronouns in English are each other and one another . They are similar to reflexive pronouns in that they are used in the object position to refer back to the subject, but they do so in a different way:

Reflexive pronouns show a subject acting on itself.
Reciprocal pronouns show a group of subjects acting on each other.

The two cats washed each other . [Each cat washed the other cat.]

People should help themselves . [They should act out of self-interest.]

A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun such as ‘myself’ that’s used to refer back to the subject of the sentence. You should use one instead of an object pronoun when the subject and object of the sentence are the same – i.e., when the subject is acting on themselves.

For example, in the sentence ‘She trusts herself to do this’, the person doing the trusting (‘she’) is the same person who is being trusted (‘herself’). If you instead said ‘She trusts her to do this’, ‘her’ would be taken to refer to a different person.

The English reflexive pronouns are myself , ourselves , yourself , yourselves , himself , herself , itself , themselves , and oneself . They can also be used as emphatic pronouns .

Themself is a word that’s used as an alternative singular form of the reflexive pronoun or emphatic pronoun themselves . It’s used in combination with the singular ‘they’.

But there’s still some debate about whether this usage should be considered standard. Merriam-Webster lists it as ‘nonstandard’ but indicates that its use is increasing over time. APA Style regards it as an acceptable alternative to themselves but doesn’t require its use.

If you’re worried about correctness, our advice is to continue using themselves for both the singular and the plural sense for now.

Reflexive pronouns and emphatic pronouns are identical in spelling and pronunciation: they’re the words ending in -self or -selves (e.g., ‘myself’, ‘themselves’). But they play different grammatical roles:

Reflexive pronouns serve as the object of a transitive verb when the object is the same person or thing as the subject (e.g., ‘I believe in myself ‘).
Emphatic pronouns (also called intensive pronouns ) are used in combination with another noun or pronoun to place special emphasis on it (‘I myself wrote the code’).

Sources for this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

Caulfield, J. (2023, May 10). Reflexive Pronouns | Examples, Definition & List. Scribbr. Retrieved 15 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/nouns/reflexive-pronoun/

Aarts, B. (2011). Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015). Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016). Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

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Writing Tips

Grammar Tips: What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

4-minute read

24th November 2020

Reflexive pronouns let us form sentences where the subject and object are the same thing. But they can be difficult to use correctly, even for native English speakers. Here, then, we’ve prepared a quick guide to how reflexive pronouns work in English so you can avoid errors in your writing.

Reflexive Pronouns in English

There are eight main reflexive pronouns in English. Each is associated with a personal pronoun , and they all end in “-self” or “-selves”:

These words have two main uses in English:

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To form sentences where the subject and object are the same thing.
To emphasize who has performed an action in a sentence.

We’ll look at both uses in more detail below.

Reflexive Pronouns as Objects

When the subject (i.e., the person or thing enacting a verb) and the object (i.e., the person or thing being acted upon) of a sentence are the same thing, we use a reflexive pronoun in the place of the object.

This can be a direct object (i.e., the thing being acted on directly):

Jerry looked at himself in the mirror.

Here, for instance, “Jerry” is both the subject (i.e., the person looking) and the object (i.e., the thing he sees) in the sentence, so we use “himself.”

Alternatively, reflexive pronouns can stand in for an indirect object (i.e., the recipient of the direct object in a sentence):

Susan made the sandwich for herself .

In this case, “Susan” is both the subject (i.e., the person making the sandwich) and the indirect object (i.e., its recipient), so we use “herself.”

In all cases, though, when the subject and object of a sentence are the same person or thing, you will want to use a reflexive pronoun to make this clear.

Reflexivity for Emphasis

We can also use reflexive pronouns for emphasis. This is often to emphasize agency in a sentence (i.e, who is acting or who is responsible for an action):

I made the cake myself .

Here, “I made the cake” would make sense by itself. But including “myself” adds emphasis, as if we were saying “without any help from anyone else.”

We can also use it more generally for emphasis, especially to imply importance or to show a contrast between two things. In this case, you would usually give the pronoun immediately after a noun or noun phrase:

David Bowie himself told me the secret to success!

It’s not a great town, but the beach itself is wonderful.

This is a little informal, but it is perfectly acceptable in most forms of writing.

A Common Reflexive Pronoun Error

One common error made when using these terms is using a reflexive pronoun in place of a personal pronoun in a compound subject or object. For instance, some people use “myself” instead of “I” or “me” in a sentence:

Simon and myself have written a book. ✘

Please submit the report to myself and Mr. Harris. ✘

However, since these are not reflexive or emphatic, they are incorrect.

There’s an easy way to spot this kind of error, though. All you need to do is remove the other part of the compound subject or object and see if it sounds right as a singular subject or object instead:

Myself have written a book. ✘

Please submit the report to myself . ✘

We can quickly see that these sentences should say “I have…” and “…to me” instead, respectively. And we can then correct the compound forms, too:

Simon and I have written a book. ✔︎

Please submit the report to me and Mr. Harris. ✔︎

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Reflexive pronouns can cause a lot of confusion if used incorrectly, so hopefully this post has clarified the basics. To make sure your writing is always at its best, though, why not try our free proofreading trial today?

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Pronoun Usage in Academic Writing: ‘I,’ ‘We,’ and ‘They’

By Zain Ul Abadin
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Introduction:

Welcome to a comprehensive exploration of pronoun usage in academic writing. This article serves as your indispensable guide to understanding the judicious use of ‘I,’ ‘We,’ and ‘They’ in research papers. Whether you are a novice researcher seeking guidance or an experienced scholar aiming to refine your skills, this guide empowers you to articulate your ideas with scholarly finesse. By the time you’ve journeyed through these pages, you will have the tools to strike a harmonious balance between academic rigor and engaging prose.

1. The Significance of Pronouns in Academic Writing

Pronouns are the unsung heroes of academic writing. They link concepts, reinforce clarity, and create a cohesive narrative in your research. The strategic deployment of pronouns plays a pivotal role in shaping your text, influencing the reader’s understanding, and maintaining the language of research. As we delve deeper, you’ll discover the profound impact pronouns have on readability, coherence, and the overall quality of your academic work.

2. Pronoun Usage in Academic Writing:

Here we arrive at the heart of the matter: understanding when and how to utilize ‘I,’ ‘We,’ and ‘They’ within the context of research papers. Each of these pronouns has its unique strengths, and a thorough understanding of their application is key to scholarly success.

3. Language of Research: Formality and Precision:

In the world of academic writing, precision and formality are non-negotiable. The language of research demands utmost clarity, and even the smallest nuances in expression matter. In this section, we explore the significance of maintaining a formal tone, ensuring that your academic work radiates professionalism.

4. When to Use ‘I’ in Research Papers

Expressing personal experience:.

The ‘I’ pronoun can be a powerful tool for infusing your research paper with your own experiences, insights, and observations. Personalizing your work not only connects you with your readers but also adds authenticity to your writing. We encourage you to provide specific examples from your journey, as well as your interpretations of research findings. When used effectively, ‘I’ offers a human touch to the language of research.

Presenting Research Findings:

When presenting your research findings, ‘I’ allows you to assert your authorship and authority. By choosing ‘I,’ you emphasize that you are the architect of your research, the analyst of your data, and the interpreter of your findings. This section helps you balance the use of ‘I’ to maintain a professional tone in presenting your research.

5. ‘We’ in Research Papers: Dos and Don’ts

Collaborative research:.

Collaborative research projects often call for the use of ‘We’ to denote shared responsibility and contributions. Clearly defining roles, acknowledging teamwork, and underlining collective efforts can help you leverage the power of ‘We’ to enhance credibility and trustworthiness in your academic work.

Overuse and Its Consequences:

However, overusing ‘We’ can detract from your paper’s formality and professionalism. To avoid this, you can balance ‘We’ with passive voice or opt for a rephrasing when it feels excessive. Evaluating the necessity of ‘We’ in specific contexts is also key to maintaining a formal tone.

6. The Inclusive ‘They’

In the modern academic landscape, inclusivity is of utmost importance. ‘They’ serves as a gender-neutral pronoun, promoting diversity and accommodating those who identify beyond the gender binary. This section unpacks the significance of ‘They’ and offers strategies for using it effectively to create an inclusive academic environment .

7. Can You Use ‘We’ in a Research Paper?

Is it Okay to Use ‘We’?

This section addresses the age-old question of whether it is permissible to use ‘We’ in research papers. We explore the nuances of its acceptability, shedding light on when and how it can be appropriately incorporated.

Collaborative Research and ‘We’:

For collaborative research, ‘We’ is often indispensable. We delve into the dynamics of collaborative work and provide guidance on using ‘We’ effectively in such contexts.

8. Can You Use ‘I’ in Research Papers?

Personal perspective in research:.

Unleash the power of ‘I’ to express your personal viewpoints, experiences, and insights in a scholarly and professional manner. This section offers a balanced approach to using ‘I’ effectively without veering into informality.

Striking a Balance:

Striking a balance is the key to maintaining a professional tone. This section helps you navigate the fine line between personal engagement and scholarly authority.

9. Is It Okay to Use ‘They’ in Research Papers?

Embracing gender neutrality:.

Explore the significance of using ‘They’ as a gender-neutral pronoun to foster inclusivity and create a scholarly environment that respects diverse identities.

Practical Application:

This section provides practical guidance on how to incorporate ‘They’ effectively while avoiding potential pitfalls and misconceptions in your research.

10. Language of Research: A Summary

A concise summary of the key takeaways on maintaining a formal, precise, and professional language in academic writing.

11. Conclusion

In this comprehensive guide, we have journeyed through the labyrinth of pronoun usage in academic writing, whether it’s ‘I,’ ‘We,’ or ‘They.’ Armed with the knowledge and strategies presented here, you are equipped to navigate this intricate terrain with confidence and precision. Precision and professionalism remain the watchwords of the language of research, and your mastery of pronouns is a vital step toward achieving excellence in academic writing.

12. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: can ‘i’ be used in a research paper .

A: Yes, ‘I’ can be used, but its usage should be measured and context-appropriate.

Q: Is it acceptable to use ‘We’ in a research paper?

A: Yes, ‘We’ can be used, particularly in collaborative research, but transparency about author contributions is crucial.

Q: When should ‘They’ be used in research papers?

A: ‘They’ is apt for referring to individuals or groups in a general sense or when gender-neutral language is required.

Q: how can common pronoun usage mistakes in academic writing be avoided.

A: Avoiding mistakes involves clear contextual use, maintaining objectivity, and providing transparency about authorship.

Q: What role do pronouns play in research papers?

A: Pronouns are linguistic tools that enhance the clarity, cohesiveness, and engagement of academic writing by replacing nouns, thus avoiding repetition.

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Related Concepts: Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community ; First-Person Point of View ; Rhetorical Analysis; Rhetorical Stance ; The First Person ; Voice

In order to determine whether or not you can speak or write from the first-person point of view, you need to engage in rhetorical analysis. You need to question whether your audience values and accepts the first person as a legitimate rhetorical stance. Source:Many times, high school students are told not to use first person (“I,” “we,” “my,” “us,” and so forth) in their essays. As a college student, you should realize that this is a rule that can and should be broken—at the right time, of course.

By now, you’ve probably written a personal essay, memoir, or narrative that used first person. After all, how could you write a personal essay about yourself, for instance, without using the dreaded “I” word?

However, academic essays differ from personal essays; they are typically researched and use a formal tone . Because of these differences, when students write an academic essay, they quickly shy away from first person because of what they have been told in high school or because they believe that first person feels too informal for an intellectual, researched text. While first person can definitely be overused in academic essays (which is likely why your teachers tell you not to use it), there are moments in a paper when it is not only appropriate, but also more effective and/or persuasive to use first person. The following are a few instances in which it is appropriate to use first person in an academic essay:

Including a personal anecdote: You have more than likely been told that you need a strong “hook” to draw your readers in during an introduction. Sometimes, the best hook is a personal anecdote, or a short amusing story about yourself. In this situation, it would seem unnatural not to use first-person pronouns such as “I” and “myself.” Your readers will appreciate the personal touch and will want to keep reading! (For more information about incorporating personal anecdotes into your writing, see “ Employing Narrative in an Essay .”)
Establishing your credibility ( ethos ): Ethos is a term stemming back to Ancient Greece that essentially means “character” in the sense of trustworthiness or credibility. A writer can establish her ethos by convincing the reader that she is trustworthy source. Oftentimes, the best way to do that is to get personal—tell the reader a little bit about yourself. (For more information about ethos, see “ Ethos .”)For instance, let’s say you are writing an essay arguing that dance is a sport. Using the occasional personal pronoun to let your audience know that you, in fact, are a classically trained dancer—and have the muscles and scars to prove it—goes a long way in establishing your credibility and proving your argument. And this use of first person will not distract or annoy your readers because it is purposeful.
Clarifying passive constructions : Often, when writers try to avoid using first person in essays, they end up creating confusing, passive sentences . For instance, let’s say I am writing an essay about different word processing technologies, and I want to make the point that I am using Microsoft Word to write this essay. If I tried to avoid first-person pronouns, my sentence might read: “Right now, this essay is being written in Microsoft Word.” While this sentence is not wrong, it is what we call passive—the subject of the sentence is being acted upon because there is no one performing the action. To most people, this sentence sounds better: “Right now, I am writing this essay in Microsoft Word.” Do you see the difference? In this case, using first person makes your writing clearer.
Stating your position in relation to others: Sometimes, especially in an argumentative essay, it is necessary to state your opinion on the topic . Readers want to know where you stand, and it is sometimes helpful to assert yourself by putting your own opinions into the essay. You can imagine the passive sentences (see above) that might occur if you try to state your argument without using the word “I.” The key here is to use first person sparingly. Use personal pronouns enough to get your point across clearly without inundating your readers with this language.

Now, the above list is certainly not exhaustive. The best thing to do is to use your good judgment, and you can always check with your instructor if you are unsure of his or her perspective on the issue. Ultimately, if you feel that using first person has a purpose or will have a strategic effect on your audience, then it is probably fine to use first-person pronouns. Just be sure not to overuse this language, at the risk of sounding narcissistic, self-centered, or unaware of others’ opinions on a topic.

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Personal Pronouns in Academic Essays: Can You Use Personal Pronouns in Academic Essays?

Using personal pronouns in academic essays is still contentious because some institutions allow them while others discourage them. You should, therefore, get clarification from your lecturer before you start writing your paper. It is also wise for you to know when to/not to use personal pronouns in your essay.

The article below does exactly that. Read on for further details.

Can You Use Personal Pronouns in Academic Essays?

Personal pronouns in academic essays are discouraged because they may detract you from focusing on your argument and the objective you are trying to convey. You ultimately offer opinions that may lack supporting reasoning and evidence to craft your scholarly piece.

Since writing your essay without using personal pronouns can be cumbersome, I have outlined ways in which you can eliminate them in your paper.

Also see: Can you use contractions in an essay?

How to Eliminate Personal Pronouns from Your Academic Essay

1. remove them..

In some scenarios, you can remove the pronouns.

Example: I believe solar power is more sustainable than hydroelectricity.

Solution: Solar power is more sustainable than hydroelectricity.

The above solution is more objective because there is no personal stance.

2. Eliminate and Make Adjustments

Example: In this paper, I will argue that solar power is cheaper than hydroelectricity.

Solution: This paper will ascertain that solar power is cheaper than hydroelectricity.

3. Base Your Writing on Evidence, Not Personal Opinions

When you use evidence, your paper becomes more persuasive. Use the following words;

It is evident (that)…,
Considering the results,
The research suggests (that)..,
According to the figures,
The results indicate…,

4. Use Passive Voice

Passive voice allows you to emphasize the action instead of the doer. The sentence becomes less personal.

Why the Use of Personal Pronouns in Academic Essays Is Discouraged

The use of personal pronouns in academic essays is discouraged because they undermine the trustworthiness and credibility of the author. Any claim made in the paper should have supporting evidence. It may include logic and research. When you use personal pronouns and fail to cite your sources, your lecturer may conclude that the claims made are your beliefs instead of established reasoning.

Academic essays should be objective. Avoid being subjective or emotional because you may lose persuasiveness, and your paper will ultimately rely on your emotions. Remember that your aim should be to raise new ideas for analysis or to research more on existing information. The style should, therefore, be formal and impersonal because you do not want your lecturer to assume you are biased. Only deal with facts.

Note: Restrain From Addressing the Reader as You

If you use second-person pronouns like you and your, you address the reader directly. Consequently, the paper reads like an informal speech instead of scholarly writing. The reader becomes the essay subject rather than striving to explain your points using credible evidence.

Use passive voice to eliminate second-person pronouns. An additional advantage is that the paper becomes less wordy.

How Do You Refer To A Person In An Essay?

If you base your argument on one scholar, begin by writing their first and last name. Use the last name for the rest of the article. You can also use his/her and he/she if you know their gender or their/they if you are not sure about the gender.

On the other hand, if you are using work from two or more scholars, it is best to indicate their names when citing the different sources to let the reader know where you sourced the evidence. In essence, if you are not using a name, use the third-person pronoun approach.

Can You Use The Third Person In An Essay?

Yes, you can use the third person in an essay. In fact, most essays (research papers, persuasion, and exposition essays) require you to write in the third person, where you refer to researchers from academic sources as evidence. It helps you support your argument.

Using the third person helps you refer to the person you are talking about in a sentence. Refrain from taking sides and influencing the feelings of the reader. Use pronouns such as him, hers, she, he, herself, himself, themselves, it, their, or use a name.

Most lecturers advise students to use the third-person stance because it makes the paper less personal, thus enhancing objectivity. Consequently, you achieve credibility and eliminate bias because you will focus more on facts and evidence and dwell less on opinions.

Tips for Utilizing the Third-Person Approach

Focus on the text and mind less about yourself and the reader. Be neutral and present your ideas and research as if you are observing.

Use the present tense. For example, instead of “This essay analyzed,” write “This essay analyzes.”

Avoid incorporating your opinions, especially if you are passionate about the topic.

If you only know how to use the first or second person, practice often on how to avoid the approach by writing more using third-person pronouns.

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Can You Use Personal Pronoun in an Argumentative Essay?

by Antony W

February 16, 2023

Back in high school, your teacher told you not to use first person in writing your essay. But things change at college level and students break this rule more often than they can count – in the case where it’s absolutely necessary. The question is can you use personal pronoun in an argumentative essay?

You can use personal pronouns in an argumentative essay to state your opinion on an issue. Your audience wants to know where you stand, and it’s difficult to express your position without adding personalization. However, use personal pronouns sparingly so you don’t inundate your readers.

By using personal pronouns to express your thoughts on an issue based on the research you’ve conducted, you make it clear to your readers that you can be a trustworthy source on the issue in question.

Can You Use Personal Pronouns in an Argumentative Essay?

The use of personal pronouns in an argumentative essay is a concern that many students have. So it’s important that we address the issue by giving you a concrete answer that you can use to tackle the assignment.

Here’s the thing:

You’ve probably written a college admissions essay , memoir, or personal narrative essay. All these require the use of first person without which it’s would be difficult to express yourself.

Argumentative essays are different. They require in-depth research and a more formal tone, which leaves very little room for personal pronouns. Many students even shy away from using personal pronouns because they’re afraid their essays may sound too informal for an intellectual professor.

However, there are moments when you just can’t avoid using first personal pronouns in an argumentative essay. In fact, your essay might end up incomplete without the use of such pronouns.

Below are instances where you have to use a personal pronoun when writing your argumentative essay:

Clarify Your Position

It’s hard to state your position in an argument without actually using a personal pronoun.

If you remember what we said earlier, your audience not only wants to know your position on an issue but also want to know what you hold that stance in the first place.

You will have to put your personal opinion into the essay and there’s no better way to do that than to use personal pronouns.

While stating, demonstrating, and clarifying your position requires the use of personal pronouns, it’s important to use these sparingly. In other words, use what’s enough to communicate your point without overwhelming your audience with personalization.

Hook Your Reader

The introduction of your arg u mentative essay has to be good enough to draw in the attention of your reader.

To do that, you have to write a strong hook before you state the thesis of your argument .

Sometimes the best way to grab the attention of your audience is to share a personal anecdote, in which case you will need to use the first person pronoun “I” in the essay.

Here, you’re creating a personal touch that readers can’t help but appreciate. That appreciation further translates into the interest of reading the essay further to discover how you unpack your evidence to defend your stance.

Establish Your Credibility

Ethos is a common term in academic writing. In the Ancient Greece, intellects used the term to refer to character in the sense of credibility.

In argumentative essay writing, the term means the ability to establish trustworthiness with the information you provide you provide to your audience.

To establish your ethos, you have to convince your audience that you can be their trustworthy source of information. Quite too often, the best way to do that is by getting personal.

In this case you’ll have to tell your readers about yourself in a way that shows your audience that either you’re an authority in your topic or you have a personal experience in an issue.

To Avoid Passive Constructions

Another reason to use personal pronouns in an argumentative essay is to avoid passive sentences in your work.

A passive sentence is an instance where there’s an action going on but we don’t know who does the action. This can cause a lot of confusion and it’s best to avoid completely.

In some stances, using the first person pronoun is the best way to avoid passive construction and make your ideas clear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you write your personal opinion in an argumentative essay.

Yes, you’re allowed to write your personal opinion in an argumentative essay. Remember, you’re taking a stance and defending your position using logic and evidence. It’s hard to do that without expressing your personal opinion in the essay.

What’s the difference between an argumentative and an opinion essay?

In an argumentative essay, you take one side of an issue and support it using evidence to get readers to accept your side of the argument. The essay requires you to recognize counterclaim from a logical standpoint and then use strong reason and evidence to refute such claims.

An opinion essay, on the other hand, is an assignment that requires you to give your thoughts about a particular topic. This essay doesn’t require you to take any position. Just state your opinion on the topic and let readers decide what to choose.

Where can one find help with argumentative essay writing?

While there are many academic writing platforms out there, Help for Assessment is the best go-to platform for professional help. Check out our argumentative essay help and let us know how we can help you.

What is the best way to write an argumentative essay?

The best way to write an argumentative essay is to:

Choose the best argumentative essay topic
Do research
Learn about the structure of an argumentative essay
Start your essay with a hook
Avoid questions in your argument
Write your first draft early
Look into the right way to revise your argumentative essay
Submit your work before or when it’s due

Also, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that you can read if you want to learn how to write an argumentative essay. Go read that guide if you’re just getting started.

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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IELTS Writing Task 2
Personal Pronouns

Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?

Whether to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS is a question that comes up often with students studying for the test.

Personal pronouns are words such as "I", "you", "we" and " they ".

You can also watch this lesson in a video if you prefer:

Are IELTS Essays 'Academic'?

Some people believe that these words should not be used in IELTS essays because IELTS essays are 'academic' and it is not usually advised to use such personal words in academic writing.

This is true, but IELTS is not the same as writing an essay at university or writing a research article for a journal.

When you write an essay at university, you will have books and journals that you will refer to and you will need to use citations and references. In an IELTS essays you don't have any of these sources - you only have your own experience (and 40 minutes!).

And as the rubric states in every question, you are expected to make use of this experience and knowledge:

"Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge "

It would not be written in this way if you were forbidden to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS. So you may wish to give an example from your own country, or even your own personal experience if it is relevant.

Also, some of the tasks asking for your opinion are personal:

"To what extent do you agree or disagree?"

"Discuss both opinions and give your opinion"

So although an IELTS essay does need to be in an academic style, it is not quite the same as your average piece of academic writing and it can be more personal with the use of personal pronouns.

Where can I use personal pronouns in essays and how often?

So it is ok to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS, but you should not overdo it. If you start using them all the way through, your essay will be in danger of losing its academic style.

But using them a few times when needed is not a problem. For example, you may want to use them in the thesis statement in the introduction to give your opinion:

Thesis Statements:

" In my opinion , students should not have to wear school uniforms".

" I do not believe that students should wear school uniforms".

" I agree that wearing school uniforms is necessary for the following reasons".

Another advantage of using personal pronouns in essays for IELTS is that it makes your opinion very clear .

The examiner will expect to be able to clearly see what your opinion is (in opinion essays). There is a possibility that if you use impersonal language the examiner will not realise it is your opinion .

This is not to say you have to use personal pronouns as you certainly don't, but if you are a lower level writer it makes it very clear what your opinion is so there are no misunderstandings.

Look at this example conclusion - it is very clear what the writer's position is and there will be no misunderstanding:

Conclusion:

On balance, I would argue that although it is not realistic to remove all opportunities for privately funded research, governments should have the main responsibility for the monitoring and controlling of this. Strong checks and balances need to be in place to ensure future research is ethical and productive.

What about in body paragraphs?

Again, as explained above, you may wish to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS as you are told you can give examples from your own experience and you are asked for your opinion. A few times is ok, but don't use them too much as your essay may start to look too informal .

Take a look at this example essay where personal pronouns have been used effectively and they do not detract from the style of the essay or the answer:

Many old buildings protected by law are part of a nation’s history. Some people think they should be knocked down and replaced by news ones.

How important is it to maintain old buildings?

Should history stand in the way of progress?

Whole Essay:

Most nations around the world have at least some, or possibly many, old buildings such as temples, churches and houses in their cities, villages and surrounding areas which have historical significance. In my opinion , it is very important to maintain these, but this does not mean progress should stop.

Preserving certain old buildings is important for several reasons. Firstly, these structures provide an insight into the history of our countries, showing how people many centuries ago lived their lives. Without them , we could only learn by books, and it would undoubtedly be sad if this were the only way to see them. Many of these buildings are also very beautiful. Take for example the many religious buildings such as churches and temples that can be seen around the world. Not only this, but on a more practical level, many of these buildings provide important income to a country as many tourists visit them in great numbers.

However, this certainly does not mean that modernisation should be discouraged. I believe that old buildings can be protected in tandem with progress. For example, in many circumstances we see old historic buildings being renovated whilst maintaining their original character, and being used for modern purposes. Also, in no way does history hinder progress, and in fact it is the opposite. By studying and learning about our history, a greater understanding is gained about the world we live in, and this helps to build a better future.

To conclude, in my view it is very important to protect and preserve old buildings as we can learn about our history as can others from other countries. Such knowledge can also help us to understand how to modernise our countries for a better future.

You will likely not use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS to this extent as this question is particularly suitable for it more than some others, but it shows you that it is not necessarily a problem.

This is a good essay and it would not lose marks because of the use of personal pronouns.

Certainly make use of them in opinion essays in your introduction and / or conclusion as this will make your opinion very clear.

You are less likely to use them in your body paragraphs, but it is not wrong to do so.

As you saw in the essay above, using personal pronouns did not detract from the style of the essay. You may also have a particularly good example from your experience that means you need to use a personal pronoun.

More Task 2 IELTS Lessons:

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The 3 Types of IELTS Opinion Essays in IELTS

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IMAGES

Personal Pronouns: Definition, Examples Of Subject Pronouns & Object
How to Write a Reflective Essay
Reflexive Pronoun: Definition, List and Examples of Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive Pronouns in English
Pronoun Usage in Essays Poster by Mickleson's Materials
Basics of Personal Pronouns
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Personal Pronouns for children
Personal Pronouns
All personal pronouns
Personal Pronouns
Reflexive Pronouns in English
Difference Between Him And Her

COMMENTS

How to Write a Reflective Essay
1 Choose a tone. Before you begin to write your reflective essay, choose a tone. Because a reflective essay is more personal than an academic essay, you don't need to use a strict, formal tone. You can also use personal pronouns like I and me in your essay because this essay is about your personal experiences.
Use of Pronouns in Academic Writing
Pronouns are words that make reference to both specific and nonspecific things and people. They are used in place of nouns. First-person pronouns (I, We) are rarely used in academic writing. They are primarily used in a reflective piece, such as a reflective essay or personal statement. You should avoid using second-person pronouns such as ...
First-person pronouns
First-Person Pronouns. Use first-person pronouns in APA Style to describe your work as well as your personal reactions. If you are writing a paper by yourself, use the pronoun "I" to refer to yourself. If you are writing a paper with coauthors, use the pronoun "we" to refer yourself and your coauthors together.
Language of academic reflections
Use 'I' and other personal pronouns (reflections are centred around you) Use subject-specific language and terminology (use the same language as you would in an essay, just centred around your own experiences) Use succinct and formal language Language points for specific aspects of reflective writing. A summary of key points to remember at ...
Should I Use "I"?
Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs. Don't begin a sentence with "and" or "because.". Never include personal opinion. Never use "I" in essays. We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds.
PDF NEW Writing Reflectively 011112
Reflective writing, by contrast, involves recording your views, reactions, impressions or observations, using 'I' and other personal pronouns. In reflective writing, the use of 'I' is not only acceptable, but expected. Reflective writing, however, needs to be more than a description of your observations or thoughts, or a simple summary ...
Reflective writing style
Reflective writing differs from standard academic writing in that it is more personal in nature. This means that you can use the personal pronoun "I" and talk about your own thoughts and feelings. It is important, however, not to be too casual or conversational. Reflective writing should include essential details, written directly and ...
The Use of Personal Pronouns in the Writing of Argumentative Essays by
However, there was a big variation in the use of personal pronouns by the participants; Aya, Chikasa, and Maki used 58% of all the personal pronouns used in the corpus, and Ran, Yoko, Sakura and Jeemin did not use any. This variation can also be seen when the different essays are examined as 65% of all of the personal pronouns used were in Essay 1.
20.8 Spotlight on … Pronouns in Context
For example, if one identifies as female, that person can include the pronouns she/her as part of their email signature: "Jane Doe (she/her)." Similarly, a person who identifies as nonbinary can include the preferred pronouns they/them/their in their signature. Write about Pronouns. Take a moment and write about how pronoun use impacts you.
Reflexive Pronouns
A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun such as 'myself' that's used to refer back to the subject of the sentence. You should use one instead of an object pronoun when the subject and object of the sentence are the same - i.e., when the subject is acting on themselves.. For example, in the sentence 'She trusts herself to do this', the person doing the trusting ('she') is the same ...
Grammar Tips: What Are Reflexive Pronouns?
Reflexive Pronouns as Objects. When the subject (i.e., the person or thing enacting a verb) and the object (i.e., the person or thing being acted upon) of a sentence are the same thing, we use a reflexive pronoun in the place of the object. This can be a direct object (i.e., the thing being acted on directly):
Reflexive Pronouns
A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that's used in the object position when the subject and object of the sentence are the same (i.e., to show someone acting on themselves). For example, "himself" is a reflexive pronoun in the sentence "He hurt himself while cooking.". Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves depending on whether they ...
What Are Reflexive Pronouns? Rules and Examples
Reflexive pronouns are words ending in -self or -selves that are used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same (e.g., I believe in myself). They can act as either objects or indirect objects. The nine English reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, himself, herself, oneself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves.
Pronoun Usage in Academic Writing: 'I,' 'We,' and 'They'
2. Pronoun Usage in Academic Writing: Portrait of young student studying at the university library. Education and lifestyle concept. Here we arrive at the heart of the matter: understanding when and how to utilize 'I,' 'We,' and 'They' within the context of research papers. Each of these pronouns has its unique strengths, and a ...
Reflexive Pronouns
She is going to can all of those beans for her zombie storage room herself. I am going to treat myself to a little vacation from all of this worry about a zombie apocalypse and spend the day playing Halo on my Xbox. Reflexive pronouns can also be used to show emphasis in a sentence, as illustrated in this example: I myself had to go through all ...
The Use of Personal Pronouns in the Writing of Argumentative Essays by
In many academic writing textbooks and style guides the use of personal pronouns is not encouraged. This is particularly problematic for non-native speakers of English trying to express themselves in a second language as, although personal pronouns are a clear signal of the writers' identity and presence in a text, they are usually advised not to use them.
Using First Person in an Academic Essay: When is It Okay?
Source:Many times, high school students are told not to use first person ("I," "we," "my," "us," and so forth) in their essays. As a college student, you should realize that this is a rule that can and should be broken—at the right time, of course. By now, you've probably written a personal essay, memoir, or narrative that ...
The Use of Personal Pronouns in the Writing of Argumentative Essays by
This taxonomy was then used to examine the discourse functions of personal pro-nouns in the reports (student writing) and research articles (expert writing). The frequen-cies are shown in Table 2. Table 2 shows that the two most frequent uses of personal pronouns in the student reports were stating a purpose and explaining a procedure.
Personal Pronouns in Academic Essays: Can You Use Personal Pronouns in
When you use personal pronouns and fail to cite your sources, your lecturer may conclude that the claims made are your beliefs instead of established reasoning. Academic essays should be objective. Avoid being subjective or emotional because you may lose persuasiveness, and your paper will ultimately rely on your emotions.
Can I use first-person pronouns in APA?
Use of the first-person singular pronoun "I". Both Walden and APA allow for and encourage the appropriate use of the first-person pronoun "I" in scholarly writing. However, doctoral capstone abstracts should remain in third person. Use of the first-person plural pronouns "we," "our," or "us". The general use of "we," "our," or "us," however, is ...
The Use of Personal Pronouns in the Writing of Argumentative Essays by
Abstract. In many academic writing textbooks and style guides the use of personal pronouns is not encouraged. This is particularly problematic for non-native speakers of English trying to express ...
Can You Use Personal Pronoun in an Argumentative Essay?
Another reason to use personal pronouns in an argumentative essay is to avoid passive sentences in your work. A passive sentence is an instance where there's an action going on but we don't know who does the action. This can cause a lot of confusion and it's best to avoid completely. In some stances, using the first person pronoun is the ...
Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?
Another advantage of using personal pronouns in essays for IELTS is that it makes your opinion very clear. The examiner will expect to be able to clearly see what your opinion is (in opinion essays). There is a possibility that if you use impersonal language the examiner will not realise it is your opinion. This is not to say you have to use ...

Use of Pronouns in Academic Writing

The Antecedent of a Pronoun

Use of First Person Pronouns (I, We) in Academic Writing

Avoiding First Person Pronouns

The Problem with the Editorial We

Use of Second Person Pronouns (You) in Academic Writing

Use of Third Person Pronouns (He, She, They) in Academic Writing

Ensure Consistency Throughout the Text

How to Use Demonstrative Pronouns (This, That, Those, These) in Academic Writing

Frequently Asked Questions

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Should I Use “I”?

Expectations about academic writing

Effective uses of “I”:

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

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Personal experience in academic writing

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Guided reflection

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Further reading

20.8 Spotlight on … Pronouns in Context

Eliminating Gender Bias

Pronouns for Nonbinary and Transgender People

Write about Pronouns

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Reflexive Pronouns | Examples, Definition & List

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Reflexive pronouns used in place of subject or object pronouns

‘Hisself’, ‘theirselves’, and ‘theirself’

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Grammar Tips: What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

Reflexive Pronouns in English

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Reflexive Pronouns as Objects

Reflexivity for Emphasis

A Common Reflexive Pronoun Error

Expert Proofreading for Grammar

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Pronoun Usage in Academic Writing: ‘I,’ ‘We,’ and ‘They’

Introduction:

1. The Significance of Pronouns in Academic Writing

2. Pronoun Usage in Academic Writing:

3. Language of Research: Formality and Precision:

4. When to Use ‘I’ in Research Papers

Presenting Research Findings:

5. ‘We’ in Research Papers: Dos and Don’ts

Overuse and Its Consequences:

6. The Inclusive ‘They’

7. Can You Use ‘We’ in a Research Paper?

Is it Okay to Use ‘We’?

Collaborative Research and ‘We’:

8. Can You Use ‘I’ in Research Papers?

Striking a Balance:

9. Is It Okay to Use ‘They’ in Research Papers?

Practical Application:

10. Language of Research: A Summary

11. Conclusion

12. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is it acceptable to use ‘We’ in a research paper?