first person pronouns essay

Encyclopedia for Writers

Writing with artificial intelligence, using first person in an academic essay: when is it okay.

• CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 by Jenna Pack Sheffield

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.

Recommended Readings:

• A Synthesis of Professor Perspectives on Using First and Third Person in Academic Writing
• Finding the Bunny: How to Make a Personal Connection to Your Writing
• First-Person Point of View

Brevity – Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence – How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow – How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity – Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style – The DNA of Powerful Writing

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• Writing Tips

First-Person Pronouns in Academic Writing

• 3-minute read
• 11th June 2018

During school, many of us were told to never use “I” in an essay. And so we went on to college, trying our best to write papers without using any first-person pronouns. But where does this rule come from? And is it really wrong to use “I” in an essay? Read on to find out!

When Not to Use “I” in Academic Writing

It is true that using too many first-person pronouns in a college paper will look bad. This is because it looks like you’re expressing an opinion rather than discussing facts. For instance:

I think the Watergate scandal had a big effect on American politics.

The “I think” here is unnecessary. Watergate was undeniably a major incident in American politics, so it is not simply an opinion. You could even cite sources where its impact is discussed.

Similarly, overuse of first-person pronouns can detract from the focus of your writing. Take the following example from a scientific paper:

I observed the sample through a microscope, and I noticed an unusual microbe.

Here, the focus is on the person conducting the study instead of the study itself. But scientific writing is supposed to be objective. It would therefore be better to say:

The sample was observed through a microscope. This revealed an unusual microbe.

By using the passive voice here, we make sure the focus is on the experiment, not the experimenter.

In both of these cases, then, it would be better to avoid use of the first person.

Using First-Person Pronouns Correctly

However, there are cases when it is correct to use first-person pronouns in an essay. These include:

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• To emphasize or clarify your own role in a study
• To position yourself in relation to other thinkers

For example, we could write the following without using the first person:

In studying queue formation in Starbucks, the issue of how social behavior is affected by caffeine withdrawal was explored.

However, this gives us no indication of who is conducting the study and the use of passive voice leads to an awkward sentence. We might therefore want to use first-person pronouns to ensure clarity:

In studying queue formation in Starbucks, we explored how social behavior is affected by caffeine withdrawal.

Another alternative would be using “the researcher” or “the author” to refer to ourselves in the third person. But this can also be problematic. For instance:

While Ving and Rhames (2001) argued that tea drinkers are more violent, the researchers have not found evidence to back up this claim.

The identity of “the researchers” here could be ambiguous. Does it refer to Ving and Rhames? Another study by someone else? Or is it the authors of this paper? It would therefore be better to say:

While Ving and Rhames (2001) argued that tea drinkers are more violent, we have not found evidence to back up this claim.

With this simple change, we can immediately what this sentence is saying. In general, then:

• DO NOT use the first person if it makes your work sound overly subjective or draws focus from what you are meant to be discussing
• But DO use the first person if it helps to ensure clarity and concision in your writing

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• Tips & Guides

How To Avoid Using “We,” “You,” And “I” in an Essay

• Posted on October 27, 2022 October 27, 2022

Maintaining a formal voice while writing academic essays and papers is essential to sound objective. 

One of the main rules of academic or formal writing is to avoid first-person pronouns like “we,” “you,” and “I.” These words pull focus away from the topic and shift it to the speaker – the opposite of your goal.

While it may seem difficult at first, some tricks can help you avoid personal language and keep a professional tone.

Let’s learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

What Is a Personal Pronoun?

Pronouns are words used to refer to a noun indirectly. Examples include “he,” “his,” “her,” and “hers.” Any time you refer to a noun – whether a person, object, or animal – without using its name, you use a pronoun.

Personal pronouns are a type of pronoun. A personal pronoun is a pronoun you use whenever you directly refer to the subject of the sentence. 

Take the following short paragraph as an example:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. Mr. Smith also said that Mr. Smith lost Mr. Smith’s laptop in the lunchroom.”

The above sentence contains no pronouns at all. There are three places where you would insert a pronoun, but only two where you would put a personal pronoun. See the revised sentence below:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. He also said that he lost his laptop in the lunchroom.”

“He” is a personal pronoun because we are talking directly about Mr. Smith. “His” is not a personal pronoun (it’s a possessive pronoun) because we are not speaking directly about Mr. Smith. Rather, we are talking about Mr. Smith’s laptop.

If later on you talk about Mr. Smith’s laptop, you may say:

“Mr. Smith found it in his car, not the lunchroom!” 

In this case, “it” is a personal pronoun because in this point of view we are making a reference to the laptop directly and not as something owned by Mr. Smith.

Why Avoid Personal Pronouns in Essay Writing

We’re teaching you how to avoid using “I” in writing, but why is this necessary? Academic writing aims to focus on a clear topic, sound objective, and paint the writer as a source of authority. Word choice can significantly impact your success in achieving these goals.

Writing that uses personal pronouns can unintentionally shift the reader’s focus onto the writer, pulling their focus away from the topic at hand.

Personal pronouns may also make your work seem less objective. 

One of the most challenging parts of essay writing is learning which words to avoid and how to avoid them. Fortunately, following a few simple tricks, you can master the English Language and write like a pro in no time.

Alternatives To Using Personal Pronouns

How to not use “I” in a paper? What are the alternatives? There are many ways to avoid the use of personal pronouns in academic writing. By shifting your word choice and sentence structure, you can keep the overall meaning of your sentences while re-shaping your tone.

Utilize Passive Voice

In conventional writing, students are taught to avoid the passive voice as much as possible, but it can be an excellent way to avoid first-person pronouns in academic writing.

You can use the passive voice to avoid using pronouns. Take this sentence, for example:

“ We used 150 ml of HCl for the experiment.”

Instead of using “we” and the active voice, you can use a passive voice without a pronoun. The sentence above becomes:

“150 ml of HCl were used for the experiment.” 

Using the passive voice removes your team from the experiment and makes your work sound more objective.

Take a Third-Person Perspective

Another answer to “how to avoid using ‘we’ in an essay?” is the use of a third-person perspective. Changing the perspective is a good way to take first-person pronouns out of a sentence. A third-person point of view will not use any first-person pronouns because the information is not given from the speaker’s perspective.

A third-person sentence is spoken entirely about the subject where the speaker is outside of the sentence.

Take a look at the sentence below:

“In this article you will learn about formal writing.”

The perspective in that sentence is second person, and it uses the personal pronoun “you.” You can change this sentence to sound more objective by using third-person pronouns:

“In this article the reader will learn about formal writing.”

The use of a third-person point of view makes the second sentence sound more academic and confident. Second-person pronouns, like those used in the first sentence, sound less formal and objective.

Be Specific With Word Choice

You can avoid first-personal pronouns by choosing your words carefully. Often, you may find that you are inserting unnecessary nouns into your work. 

Take the following sentence as an example:

“ My research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

In this case, the first-person pronoun ‘my’ can be entirely cut out from the sentence. It then becomes:

“Research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

The second sentence is more succinct and sounds more authoritative without changing the sentence structure.

You should also make sure to watch out for the improper use of adverbs and nouns. Being careful with your word choice regarding nouns, adverbs, verbs, and adjectives can help mitigate your use of personal pronouns. 

“They bravely started the French revolution in 1789.” 

While this sentence might be fine in a story about the revolution, an essay or academic piece should only focus on the facts. The world ‘bravely’ is a good indicator that you are inserting unnecessary personal pronouns into your work.

We can revise this sentence into:

“The French revolution started in 1789.” 

Avoid adverbs (adjectives that describe verbs), and you will find that you avoid personal pronouns by default.

Closing Thoughts

In academic writing, It is crucial to sound objective and focus on the topic. Using personal pronouns pulls the focus away from the subject and makes writing sound subjective.

Hopefully, this article has helped you learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

When working on any formal writing assignment, avoid personal pronouns and informal language as much as possible.

While getting the hang of academic writing, you will likely make some mistakes, so revising is vital. Always double-check for personal pronouns, plagiarism , spelling mistakes, and correctly cited pieces. 

 You can prevent and correct mistakes using a plagiarism checker at any time, completely for free.

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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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• Knowledge Base
• Nouns and pronouns
• Personal Pronouns | Definition, List & Examples

Personal Pronouns | Definition, List & Examples

Published on October 15, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on February 24, 2023.

Personal pronouns are words like “you” that refer to the person speaking or writing, to the person they’re addressing, or to other people and things.

Like other pronouns , they are used in place of nouns to allow us to speak and write more concisely. For example, without the first-person pronoun “I,” you would have to use your name every time you wanted to make a statement about yourself.

Personal pronouns change form based on person , number , gender , and case , as shown in the table below, which you can also download.

Download this table

Table of contents

Person, number, gender, and case.

• First-person pronouns

Second-person pronouns

Third-person pronouns, impersonal pronouns, other personal pronouns, other interesting language articles, frequently asked questions about personal pronouns.

Four factors indicate which personal pronoun you should use in a particular grammatical context to refer to a particular person or thing. These are:

• Person (first, second, or third)
• Number (singular or plural)
• Gender (masculine, feminine, neuter, or epicene)
• Case (subject, object, possessive, or reflexive)

To demonstrate correct pronoun-antecedent agreement , a personal pronoun must match its antecedent (the person or thing it refers back to) in person, number, and gender. Case is determined by how the pronoun is used in the sentence, not by the antecedent.

Personal pronouns are called “personal” not because they always refer to people (“it,” for example, doesn’t) but because they indicate a grammatical feature called person . There are three possibilities:

• First-person pronouns are used to refer to the person speaking or writing.
• Second-person pronouns are used to refer to the person being addressed.
• Third-person pronouns are used to refer to anyone or anything else.

Number indicates whether the personal pronoun refers to an individual person or thing or to a group of two or more.

• Singular pronouns refer to an individual person or thing.
• Plural pronouns refer to two or more people or things.

Gender is how personal pronouns indicate the gender of the person referred to—or the lack of gender of objects and concepts.

• Masculine pronouns refer to men and boys.
• Feminine pronouns refer to women and girls.
• Gender-neutral pronouns , also referred to as epicene , refer to people who identify as neither male nor female, or to people whose gender is not considered relevant in context.
• Neuter pronouns refer to things that are not people: objects, concepts, places, and sometimes animals.

Case means the grammatical role that the pronoun plays in a sentence. Personal pronouns can play four different roles in a sentence:

• Subject pronouns act as the subject of a verb —the person or thing that performs the action described.
• Object pronouns act as the object of a verb or preposition —the person or thing that is acted upon.
• Possessive pronouns indicate ownership—they stand for something or someone that belongs to someone or something else. These are slightly different from possessive determiners .
• Reflexive pronouns are used instead of object pronouns when when the object of the sentence is the same as the subject. The same words double as intensive pronouns .

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The first-person pronouns don’t vary based on gender, but they do vary based on number and case, as shown in the table below. The first-person singular subject pronoun “I” is the only English pronoun that is always capitalized .

Note that there is ongoing debate about the use of first-person pronouns in academic writing .

If we work hard, the prize could be ours .

The second-person pronouns also do not vary based on gender, only the reflexive form varies based on number, and the subject and object forms are the same. This makes them the least variable set of personal pronouns but can occasionally lead to ambiguity.

Second-person pronouns should almost never be used in academic writing , as addressing the reader directly is seen as too informal.

May I ask you a question? Is this jacket yours ?

The third-person pronouns are much more variable than the first- and second-person pronouns, since they also change form based on gender, in addition to number and case.

As well as forms for the masculine and feminine, there is a neuter (or inanimate) form that’s used to refer to things other than people (e.g., ideas, objects, animals).

There’s also an increasingly widely used gender-neutral (or epicene) form, the singular “they.” This is largely identical to the plural form (which is always gender-neutral), except that the reflexive “themself” is sometimes used instead of “themselves” (though it’s often considered nonstandard).

I’m glad she can be herself now.

Participants assessed themselves in terms of performance.

The impersonal pronoun “one,” as the name suggests, doesn’t vary based on person—it’s not in the first, second, or third person.

Rather, like an indefinite pronoun , it refers to a nonspecific, generic individual, usually for the purpose of making a generalization or stating a principle. It’s considered quite formal and often replaced with “you,” or otherwise avoided, in informal contexts.

The impersonal pronoun doesn’t vary based on number or gender, and it has the same form whether used as a subject or object. It does have a separate form for the reflexive, but no possessive pronoun form.

There are a few other personal pronouns that are rarely used, nonstandard, or archaic (no longer used). These generally shouldn’t show up in your academic or formal writing, but it’s worth knowing they exist.

Archaic second-person pronouns

The lack of variety in English second-person pronouns is somewhat unusual, as other languages (e.g., French) make clearer distinctions between singular and plural and between formal and informal ways of addressing someone.

Early Modern English used a larger set of second-person pronouns to convey this kind of distinction. The “th” pronouns were used for informal address, while the “y” pronouns were used for both formal address and plurals.

These additional pronouns are not used in contemporary standard English unless a deliberate attempt is being made to imitate old-fashioned or biblical language in a humorous or literary context. Some of them have survived in certain dialects of English.

“Y’all” and other nonstandard second-person plural pronouns

The lack of distinction between singular and plural in the standard second-person pronouns has given rise to various ways of expressing the plural in different dialects.

Though some of these are very widely used in everyday speech, they are all still regarded as nonstandard and not used in formal or academic writing. Some examples are given in the table below.

In some contexts, an individual might refer to themselves as “we” and therefore use the alternative reflexive pronoun ourself .

This commonly occurs with the royal we (used by monarchs), the editorial we (used by an individual speaking for a publication or organization), and the generic we (used to make generalizations). It’s not advisable to use any of these, or the word “ourself,” in academic writing.

“Hisself,” “theirselves,” and “theirself”

Other nonstandard reflexive pronouns are hisself (replacing “himself”), theirselves (replacing “themselves”), and theirself (replacing “themself”). These are all widely regarded as mistakes and should be avoided in writing generally, whether formal or informal.

The third-person plural object pronoun “them” is often replaced by ’em in informal contexts. It’s older than you’d expect, believed to actually be an abbreviation of the Middle English pronoun “hem” rather than the current pronoun “them.” But it’s not used in formal or academic writing.

Capitalized pronouns in a religious context

The second- and third-person pronouns He/Him/His/Himself , She/Her/Hers/Herself , and You/Yours/Yourself are sometimes capitalized in a religious context when they are used to refer to a deity.

This is commonly encountered in sacred works such as the Bible or the Quran and in the writing of other religious figures, though it’s not always done consistently. It’s not necessary to imitate this usage in a nonreligious context.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
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• Uncountable and countable nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Types of verbs
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Personal pronouns are words like “he,” “me,” and “yourselves” that refer to the person you’re addressing, to other people or things, or to yourself. Like other pronouns, they usually stand in for previously mentioned nouns (antecedents).

They are called “personal” not because they always refer to people (e.g., “it” doesn’t) but because they indicate grammatical person ( first , second , or third person). Personal pronouns also change their forms based on number, gender, and grammatical role in a sentence.

In grammar, person is how we distinguish between the speaker or writer (first person), the person being addressed (second person), and any other people, objects, ideas, etc. referred to (third person).

Person is expressed through the different personal pronouns , such as “I” ( first-person pronoun ), “you” ( second-person pronoun ), and “they” (third-person pronoun). It also affects how verbs are conjugated, due to subject-verb agreement (e.g., “I am” vs. “you are”).

In fiction, a first-person narrative is one written directly from the perspective of the protagonist . A third-person narrative describes the protagonist from the perspective of a separate narrator. A second-person narrative (very rare) addresses the reader as if they were the protagonist.

The term preferred pronouns is used to mean the (third-person) personal pronouns a person identifies with and would like to be referred to by. People usually state the subject and object pronoun (e.g., “she/her”) but may also include the possessive (e.g., “she/her/hers”).

Most people go by the masculine “he/him,” the feminine “she/her,” the gender-neutral singular “they/them,” or some combination of these. There are also neopronouns used to express nonbinary gender identity, such as “xe/xem.” These are less common than the singular “they.”

The practice of stating one’s preferred pronouns (e.g., in a professional context or on a social media profile) is meant to promote inclusion for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. The first- and second-person pronouns (“I” and “you”) are not included, since they’re the same for everyone.

Sources in 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, February 24). Personal Pronouns | Definition, List & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/personal-pronouns/

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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First-Person Pronouns — Correct Use, Rules & Examples

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Personal pronouns, including first-person pronouns, act as substitutes for nouns in a sentence, eliminating repetition and enhancing clarity and conciseness in writing. Particularly in academic writing , the correct usage of first-person pronouns is a vital aspect, with its own set of rules and guidelines. This guide delineates how to appropriately use first-person pronouns, when to refrain from using them, and the specific rules governing their use in the context of academic writing, where they are considered an integral part of the expression and communication of ideas.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 First-person pronouns – In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: First-person pronouns
• 3 First-person pronouns in academic writing
• 4 When not to use first-person pronouns: We vs. They

First-person pronouns – In a Nutshell

First-person pronouns refer to the person or people that said or wrote them. They may appear in singular and plural forms, categorized into objective, subjective, reflective, and possessive first-person pronouns.

While most academic writing does not allow their use, some disciplines accept first-person pronouns. You may use these pronouns in your academic paper to achieve the following:

• Organize your texts
• Guide your readers through your arguments
• Report the procedures, methods, and steps you took
• Signal your position in a debate
• Give contrasting views with another source

Definition: First-person pronouns

Personal pronouns are English words that replace people’s names, and they include first-, second- and third-person pronouns. Every first-person pronoun shows you the person, number, gender, and noun case it replaces. These pronouns include I, us, mine, we, ours, mine, myself, me, etc.

First-person pronouns appear in a singular form like “I,” where one person wrote or spoke them or in a plural form, referring to a group of people, e.g., “we” or “ours.”

First-person pronouns are divided into the following four categories:

• First-person subject pronoun: It’s used as the subject of a verb like “I” (singular) and “we” (plural).
• First-person object pronoun: It’s used as the object for prepositions or verbs like “me” (singular) and “us” (plural).
• First-person reflexive pronoun: It represents something belonging to someone, like “mine” (singular) and “ours” (plural).
• First-person possessive pronoun: It uses an object pronoun like “myself” (singular) instead of “me” and “ourselves” instead of “us” (plural).

The table below summarizes the most commonly used first-person pronouns and the categories they belong to:

First-person pronouns in academic writing

Most academic writing disciplines avoid using first-person pronouns for two main reasons: To focus on the article or writing and not the author and to maintain a consistent objective tone.

Recently, first-person pronouns have become increasingly popular in many academic writing disciplines. Some style guides, like APA style , allow you to use these pronouns (and determiners) when explaining your opinions or actions. However, this exception still varies based on your study field, as follows:

• STEM fields and natural sciences avoid first-person pronouns, though they began allowing them more than a few years back.
• Humanities and social sciences fields allow first-person pronouns frequently.

Check with your supervisor or teacher before using first-person pronouns in your academic paper. Additionally, remember that they are mostly used for more personal assignments like a  college essay , a personal statement , an acknowledgement, etc.

How to use them correctly

A thumb rule is to avoid overusing first-person pronouns even when an academic discipline allows you to include them. It would help if you understood that these pronouns have specific purposes in academic writing.

The table below highlights the best time to use first-person pronouns:

Additionally, avoid adding your feelings and thoughts in a way that seems overly subjective but does not add value to your arguments.

• I think that
• In my opinion

Furthermore, be consistent with first-person pronouns within your work. When using the pronouns like “I” and “we,” don’t switch to third-person pronouns like “the researchers” or “the author” within your text.

• Wrong: The investors invested in 12 banks, and my results show that only one bank garnered revenue.
• Correct: We invested in 12 banks, and our results show that only one bank garnered revenue.
• Correct: The investors invested in 12 banks, and the results show that only one bank garnered revenue.

How to avoid using them

There are a few methods to avoid using first-person pronouns in academic writing. The table below explains:

The above methods have both pros and cons. For instance, passive voice makes your text less clear and results in dangling modifiers . Hence, use first-person pronouns instead of the passive voice when allowed to enhance your writing’s clarity.

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When not to use first-person pronouns: We vs. They

The editorial “we” uses plural first-person pronouns to generalize people. Avoid using it even when you are allowed to use first-person pronouns, as it may make your text overly vague and informal.

However, if you must make generalizations, express your sentence differently, like using the third-person or impersonal pronoun “one.” Furthermore, please do not use the second-person pronoun “you” for generalizations.

• Wrong: When we are shown more understanding, we blossom.
• Correct: When children are shown more understanding, they blossom.
• Wrong: As we grow older, we tend to become less agitated with others’ thoughts of us.
• Correct: As people grow older, they tend to become less agitated with others’ thoughts of them.

How should you use first-person pronouns in academic writing?

Use first-person pronouns to highlight your reflections and describe your work, especially in discussions, introductions, abstracts, and conclusions. If you are writing the paper alone, use the singular pronoun “I,” but use “we” if you are co-authoring.

Is it wrong to use too many first-person pronouns in academic writing?

Using too many first pronouns in an academic paper may look bad. This happens because your tone suggests that you are expressing opinions rather than discussing facts.

Can using first-person pronouns detract from your writing?

When you overuse first-person pronouns, you may detract your readers from the focus point of your research or writing. Instead of the readers focusing on the work, they tend to focus on the author.

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First, Second, and Third Person: Definition and Examples

Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » First, Second, and Third Person: Definition and Examples

Point of view definition: First, second, and third person are categories of grammar to classify pronouns and verb forms.

• First person definition: first person indicates the speaker.
• Second person definition: second person indicates the addressee .
• Third person definition: third person indicates a third party individual other than the speaker.

What is the difference Between First Person, Second Person, and Third Person?

First, second, and third person refer to pronouns and their verb forms.

What is First Person?

First Person Example:      

• I prefer coffee to hot cocoa.

In this example, “I” am the speaker. This is first person.

What is Second Person?

Second person point of view: Second person refers to the addressee. It uses the subject pronoun “you.”

Second Person Example:  

• You prefer coffee to hot cocoa.

In this example “you” is the addressee. The speaker is addressing “you.” This is second person.

What is Third Person?

Third Person Example:

• He prefers coffee to hot cocoa.

In this example “he” is the third party. The speaker is referring to him as the addressee. He prefers coffee to hot cocoa.

When using the different points of view, verbs need to be conjugated appropriately to fit the pronoun use.

Note: Pronouns are only used in English when an antecedent has been clearly identified.

What Are First Person Pronouns?

First person pronouns always refer to the speaker himself. These pronouns are only used when the speaker is making a statement about himself or herself.

First Person Pronoun List:

Here is a list with examples of the first person words we use in writing and speech.

• I prefer coffee to hot cocoa. (First person singular)
• We prefer burgers to pasta. (First person plural)
• Jacob embarrassed me.
• Jacob embarrassed us.
• The hat is mine.
• The hat is ours.
• That is my hat.
• That is our hat.

What Are Second Person Pronouns?

When you are writing, a good way to think about the second person’s point of view is that it addresses the reader (as I just did in that sentence).

Second person pronouns are only used when the speaker is making a statement to the addressee, i.e., to someone.

Second Person Pronoun List:

Here is a list with examples of the second person words we use in writing and speech.

• Jacob embarrassed you.
• The hat is yours.
• That is your hat.

Note: In each of these examples, “you” can be an individual (singular) or multiple people (plural).

What Are Third Person Pronouns?

Third person pronouns always refer to a third party. These pronouns are used when the speaker is making a statement about a third party.

Third Person Pronoun List:

Here is a list with examples of the third person words we use in writing and speech.

• He prefers coffee to hot cocoa. (Third person singular)
• They prefer tea to coffee. (Third person plural)
• Jacob embarrassed her.
• The hat is theirs.
• That is their hat.

First, Second, and Third Person in Writing

Writing in first person: Literature in the first person point of view is written from the speaker’s perspective. This point of view uses first person pronouns to identify the speaker/narrator. First person point of view is generally limited in that the audience only experiences what the speaker/narrator himself experiences.

Writing in third person: Literature in third person point of view is written from an “outside” perspective. This point of view uses third person pronouns to identify characters. In third person writing, the narrator is not a character in the text. Because of this, he can usually “see” what happens to all of the characters.

Writing in second person: In non-fiction writing, a speaker will often switch between pronouns. Writers do this only for effect. For example, if a speaker wants to be clear and “get through” to the audience, he might say “you” (second person) throughout the text even if the text is mostly in third person. Again, this is strictly for rhetorical effect. Experienced writers use this as a literary tool.

Common Questions and First, Second, and Third Person

Here, I want to go quickly through a few questions I get about first, second, and third person pronouns.

Questions About the First Person

Is our first person? Yes, our is one of the first person pronouns.

• Are you coming to our wedding?

Is you first person? No, you is a second person pronoun.

• You are a great friend.

Is we first person? Yes, we is a first person pronoun.

• We are great friends.
• We polled this group of political observers and activists each week prior to the Iowa caucuses to produce the USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings and went back to them this week to ask who is the best choice for Trump’s running mate. – USA Today

Is my first person? Yes, my is a first person pronoun.

• My glasses are broken.

Is they first person? No, they is a third person pronoun.

• They can’t find parking.
• For frugal travelers, there are some smart alternatives if they are willing to do a bit of homework. – The New York Times

Is us first person? Yes, us is one of the first person pronouns.

• The president congratulated us.

Questions About the Second Person

• You are causing a scene.

Is they second person? No, they is a one of the third person pronouns.

• They are our neighbors.

Is we second person? No, we is one of the first person pronouns.

• We are going to get groceries.

Questions About the Third Person

Is their third person? Yes, their is a third person pronoun.

• Their hat is over there.

Is we third person? No, we is a first person pronoun.

• We are going to the beach.

Is our third person? No, our is a first person pronoun.

• This is our cake.

Is you third person? No, you is a second person pronoun.

• You are a nice person.

Is they third person? Yes, they is a third person pronoun.

• They are nice people.

Is he third person? Yes, he is one of the third person pronouns.

• He is a great man.
• Last week, he restated that he believes he deserves a maximum contract. – The Washington Post

Trick to Remember the Difference

Here are a few helpful memory tricks that always help me.

In the first person writing, I am talking about myself.

• I enjoy singing.

In the second person writing, I am talking to someone.

• You enjoy singing.

In the third person writing, I am talking about someone.

• He enjoys singing.

Summary: What is the First, Second, and Third Person Perspective?

Define first person: The definition of first person is the grammatical category of forms that designate a speaker referring to himself or herself. First person pronouns are I, we, me, us, etc.

Define second person: The definition of second person is the grammatical category of forms that designates the person being addressed. Second person pronouns are you, your, and yours.

Define third person: The definition of third person is the grammatical category of forms designating someone other than the speaker. The pronouns used are he, she, it, they, them, etc.

If this article helped you understand the differences between the three main English points of view, you might find our other article on English grammar terms helpful.

You can see our full list of English grammar terms on our grammar dictionary .

Using “I” in Academic Writing

Traditionally, some fields have frowned on the use of the first-person singular in an academic essay and others have encouraged that use, and both the frowning and the encouraging persist today—and there are good reasons for both positions (see “Should I”).

I recommend that you not look on the question of using “I” in an academic paper as a matter of a rule to follow, as part of a political agenda (see webb), or even as the need to create a strategy to avoid falling into Scylla-or-Charybdis error. Let the first-person singular be, instead, a tool that you take out when you think it’s needed and that you leave in the toolbox when you think it’s not.

Examples of When “I” May Be Needed

• You are narrating how you made a discovery, and the process of your discovering is important or at the very least entertaining.
• You are describing how you teach something and how your students have responded or respond.
• You disagree with another scholar and want to stress that you are not waving the banner of absolute truth.
• You need “I” for rhetorical effect, to be clear, simple, or direct.

Examples of When “I” Should Be Given a Rest

• It’s off-putting to readers, generally, when “I” appears too often. You may not feel one bit modest, but remember the advice of Benjamin Franklin, still excellent, on the wisdom of preserving the semblance of modesty when your purpose is to convince others.
• You are the author of your paper, so if an opinion is expressed in it, it is usually clear that this opinion is yours. You don’t have to add a phrase like, “I believe” or “it seems to me.”

Works Cited

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . Project Gutenberg , 28 Dec. 2006, www.gutenberg.org/app/uploads/sites/3/20203/20203-h/20203-h.htm#I.

“Should I Use “I”?” The Writing Center at UNC—Chapel Hill , writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/should-i-use-i/.

webb, Christine. “The Use of the First Person in Academic Writing: Objectivity, Language, and Gatekeeping.” ResearchGate , July 1992, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1992.tb01974.x.

J.S.Beniwal 05 August 2017 AT 09:08 AM

I have borrowed MLA only yesterday, did my MAEnglish in May 2017.MLA is of immense help for scholars.An overview of the book really enlightened​ me.I should have read it at bachelor's degree level.

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Dr. Raymond Harter 25 September 2017 AT 02:09 PM

I discourage the use of "I" in essays for undergraduates to reinforce a conversational tone and to "self-recognize" the writer as an authority or at least a thorough researcher. Writing a play is different than an essay with a purpose.

Osayimwense Osa 22 March 2023 AT 05:03 PM

When a student or writer is strongly and passionately interested in his or her stance and argument to persuade his or her audience, the use of personal pronoun srenghtens his or her passion for the subject. This passion should be clear in his/her expression. However, I encourage the use of the first-person, I, sparingly -- only when and where absolutely necessary.

Eleanor 25 March 2023 AT 04:03 PM

I once had a student use the word "eye" when writing about how to use pronouns. Her peers did not catch it. I made comments, but I think she never understood what eye was saying!

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Can You Use First-Person Pronouns (I/we) in a Research Paper?

Research writers frequently wonder whether the first person can be used in academic and scientific writing. In truth, for generations, we’ve been discouraged from using “I” and “we” in academic writing simply due to old habits. That’s right—there’s no reason why you can’t use these words! In fact, the academic community used first-person pronouns until the 1920s, when the third person and passive-voice constructions (that is, “boring” writing) were adopted–prominently expressed, for example, in Strunk and White’s classic writing manual “Elements of Style” first published in 1918, that advised writers to place themselves “in the background” and not draw attention to themselves.

In recent decades, however, changing attitudes about the first person in academic writing has led to a paradigm shift, and we have, however, we’ve shifted back to producing active and engaging prose that incorporates the first person.

Can You Use “I” in a Research Paper?

However, “I” and “we” still have some generally accepted pronoun rules writers should follow. For example, the first person is more likely used in the abstract , Introduction section , Discussion section , and Conclusion section of an academic paper while the third person and passive constructions are found in the Methods section and Results section .

In this article, we discuss when you should avoid personal pronouns and when they may enhance your writing.

It’s Okay to Use First-Person Pronouns to:

• clarify meaning by eliminating passive voice constructions;
• establish authority and credibility (e.g., assert ethos, the Aristotelian rhetorical term referring to the personal character);
• express interest in a subject matter (typically found in rapid correspondence);
• establish personal connections with readers, particularly regarding anecdotal or hypothetical situations (common in philosophy, religion, and similar fields, particularly to explore how certain concepts might impact personal life. Additionally, artistic disciplines may also encourage personal perspectives more than other subjects);
• to emphasize or distinguish your perspective while discussing existing literature; and
• to create a conversational tone (rare in academic writing).

The First Person Should Be Avoided When:

• doing so would remove objectivity and give the impression that results or observations are unique to your perspective;
• you wish to maintain an objective tone that would suggest your study minimized biases as best as possible; and
• expressing your thoughts generally (phrases like “I think” are unnecessary because any statement that isn’t cited should be yours).

Usage Examples

The following examples compare the impact of using and avoiding first-person pronouns.

Example 1 (First Person Preferred):

To understand the effects of global warming on coastal regions,  changes in sea levels, storm surge occurrences and precipitation amounts  were examined .

[Note: When a long phrase acts as the subject of a passive-voice construction, the sentence becomes difficult to digest. Additionally, since the author(s) conducted the research, it would be clearer to specifically mention them when discussing the focus of a project.]

We examined  changes in sea levels, storm surge occurrences, and precipitation amounts to understand how global warming impacts coastal regions.

[Note: When describing the focus of a research project, authors often replace “we” with phrases such as “this study” or “this paper.” “We,” however, is acceptable in this context, including for scientific disciplines. In fact, papers published the vast majority of scientific journals these days use “we” to establish an active voice.   Be careful when using “this study” or “this paper” with verbs that clearly couldn’t have performed the action.   For example, “we attempt to demonstrate” works, but “the study attempts to demonstrate” does not; the study is not a person.]

Example 2 (First Person Discouraged):

From the various data points  we have received ,  we observed  that higher frequencies of runoffs from heavy rainfall have occurred in coastal regions where temperatures have increased by at least 0.9°C.

[Note: Introducing personal pronouns when discussing results raises questions regarding the reproducibility of a study. However, mathematics fields generally tolerate phrases such as “in X example, we see…”]

Coastal regions  with temperature increases averaging more than 0.9°C  experienced  higher frequencies of runoffs from heavy rainfall.

[Note: We removed the passive voice and maintained objectivity and assertiveness by specifically identifying the cause-and-effect elements as the actor and recipient of the main action verb. Additionally, in this version, the results appear independent of any person’s perspective.] 

Example 3 (First Person Preferred):

In contrast to the study by Jones et al. (2001), which suggests that milk consumption is safe for adults, the Miller study (2005) revealed the potential hazards of ingesting milk.  The authors confirm  this latter finding.

[Note: “Authors” in the last sentence above is unclear. Does the term refer to Jones et al., Miller, or the authors of the current paper?]

In contrast to the study by Jones et al. (2001), which suggests that milk consumption is safe for adults, the Miller study (2005) revealed the potential hazards of ingesting milk.  We confirm  this latter finding.

[Note: By using “we,” this sentence clarifies the actor and emphasizes the significance of the recent findings reported in this paper. Indeed, “I” and “we” are acceptable in most scientific fields to compare an author’s works with other researchers’ publications. The APA encourages using personal pronouns for this context. The social sciences broaden this scope to allow discussion of personal perspectives, irrespective of comparisons to other literature.]

Other Tips about Using Personal Pronouns

• Avoid starting a sentence with personal pronouns. The beginning of a sentence is a noticeable position that draws readers’ attention. Thus, using personal pronouns as the first one or two words of a sentence will draw unnecessary attention to them (unless, of course, that was your intent).
• Be careful how you define “we.” It should only refer to the authors and never the audience unless your intention is to write a conversational piece rather than a scholarly document! After all, the readers were not involved in analyzing or formulating the conclusions presented in your paper (although, we note that the point of your paper is to persuade readers to reach the same conclusions you did). While this is not a hard-and-fast rule, if you do want to use “we” to refer to a larger class of people, clearly define the term “we” in the sentence. For example, “As researchers, we frequently question…”
• First-person writing is becoming more acceptable under Modern English usage standards; however, the second-person pronoun “you” is still generally unacceptable because it is too casual for academic writing.
• Take all of the above notes with a grain of salt. That is,  double-check your institution or target journal’s author guidelines .  Some organizations may prohibit the use of personal pronouns.
• As an extra tip, before submission, you should always read through the most recent issues of a journal to get a better sense of the editors’ preferred writing styles and conventions.

Wordvice Resources

For more general advice on how to use active and passive voice in research papers, on how to paraphrase , or for a list of useful phrases for academic writing , head over to the Wordvice Academic Resources pages . And for more professional proofreading services , visit our Academic Editing and P aper Editing Services pages.

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Scholarly Voice: First-Person Point of View

First-person point of view.

Since 2007, Walden academic leadership has endorsed the APA manual guidance on appropriate use of the first-person singular pronoun "I," allowing the use of this pronoun in all Walden academic writing except doctoral capstone abstracts, which should not contain first person pronouns.

In addition to the pointers below, APA 7, Section 4.16 provides information on the appropriate use of first person in scholarly writing.

Inappropriate Uses:   I feel that eating white bread causes cancer. The author feels that eating white bread causes cancer. I found several sources (Marks, 2011; Isaac, 2006; Stuart, in press) that showed a link between white bread consumption and cancer.   Appropriate Use:   I surveyed 2,900 adults who consumed white bread regularly. In this chapter, I present a literature review on research about how seasonal light changes affect depression.

Confusing Sentence:   The researcher found that the authors had been accurate in their study of helium, which the researcher had hypothesized from the beginning of their project.   Revision:   I found that Johnson et al. (2011) had been accurate in their study of helium, which I had hypothesized since I began my project.

Passive voice:   The surveys were distributed and the results were compiled after they were collected.   Revision:   I distributed the surveys, and then I collected and compiled the results.

Appropriate use of first person we and our :   Two other nurses and I worked together to create a qualitative survey to measure patient satisfaction. Upon completion, we presented the results to our supervisor.

Make assumptions about your readers by putting them in a group to which they may not belong by using first person plural pronouns. Inappropriate use of first person "we" and "our":

• We can stop obesity in our society by changing our lifestyles.
• We need to help our patients recover faster.

In the first sentence above, the readers would not necessarily know who "we" are, and using a phrase such as "our society " can immediately exclude readers from outside your social group. In the second sentence, the author assumes that the reader is a nurse or medical professional, which may not be the case, and the sentence expresses the opinion of the author.

To write with more precision and clarity, hallmarks of scholarly writing, revise these sentences without the use of "we" and "our."

• Moderate activity can reduce the risk of obesity (Hu et al., 2003).
• Staff members in the health care industry can help improve the recovery rate for patients (Matthews, 2013).

Pronouns Video

• APA Formatting & Style: Pronouns (video transcript)

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, can i use the first person in my college essay.

Hi there! I'm in the process of writing my college essays and I'm not sure if I should use first-person pronouns (like 'I' and 'me'). Is it okay to write in the first person for college essays or should I stick to a more formal tone? Thanks in advance!

Hi! It's great that you're working on your college essays. Using first-person pronouns (like 'I' and 'me') is absolutely fine when you're writing your college essay. In fact, it's encouraged because the essay is your opportunity to showcase your own voice and experiences.

Remember, the admissions officers want to get to know you as a person, so writing in the first person can help you connect with them on a more personal level. Just be sure to strike a balance between sharing your experiences and maintaining a level of professionalism.

My own child recently went through the college application process, and they used first-person pronouns in their essay. It allowed them to share their personal story and the admissions officers appreciated the authenticity. So, go ahead and write in the first person, and good luck with your essays!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

The “no first-person” myth

• First-Person Pronouns
• Research and Publication

In this series, we look at common APA Style misconceptions and debunk these myths one by one.

Many writers believe the “no first-person” myth, which is that writers cannot use first-person pronouns such as “I” or “we” in an APA Style paper. This myth implies that writers must instead refer to themselves in the third person (e.g., as “the author” or “the authors”). However, APA Style has no such rule against using first-person pronouns and actually encourages their use to avoid ambiguity in attribution!

When expressing your own views or the views of yourself and fellow authors, use the pronouns “I” or “we” and the like . Similarly, when writing your paper, use first-person pronouns when describing work you did by yourself or work you and your fellow authors did together when conducting your research. For example, use “we interviewed participants” rather than “the authors interviewed participants.” When writing an APA Style paper by yourself, use the first-person pronoun “I” to refer to yourself. And use the pronoun “we” when writing an APA Style paper with others. Here are some phrases you might use in your paper:

“I think…” “I believe…” “I interviewed the participants…” “I analyzed the data…” “My analysis of the data revealed…” “We concluded…” “Our results showed…”

This guidance can be found in Section 4.16 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition and in Section 2.16 of the Concise Guide to APA Style, Seventh Edition . It represents a continuation of a long-standing APA Style guideline that began with the second edition of the manual, in 1974.

Keep in mind that you should avoid using the editorial “we” to refer to people in general so that it is clear to readers to whom you are referring. Instead, use more specific nouns such as “people” or “researchers.”

As always, defer to your instructors’ guidelines when writing student papers. For example, your instructor may ask students to avoid using first-person language. If so, follow that guideline for work in your class.

Now that we’ve debunked another myth, go forth APA Style writers, using the first-person when appropriate!

What myth should we debunk next? Leave a comment below.

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• First-Person Pronouns | List & Explanation

First-Person Pronouns | List & Explanation

Published on 17 October 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 23 February 2023.

First-person pronouns are words such as ‘I’ and ‘us’ that refer either to the person who said or wrote them (singular), or to a group including the speaker or writer (plural). Like second- and third-person pronouns , they are a type of personal pronoun .

They’re used without any issue in everyday speech and writing, but there’s an ongoing debate about whether they should be used in academic writing .

There are four types of first-person pronouns – subject, object, possessive, and reflexive – each of which has a singular and a plural form. They’re shown in the table below and explained in more detail in the following sections.

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Table of contents

First-person subject pronouns (‘i’ and ‘we’), first-person object pronouns (‘me’ and ‘us’), first-person possessive pronouns (‘mine’ and ‘ours’), first-person reflexive pronouns (‘myself’ and ‘ourselves’), first-person pronouns in academic writing, frequently asked questions.

Used as the subject of a verb , the first-person subject pronoun takes the form I (singular) or we (plural). Note that unlike all other pronouns , ‘I’ is invariably capitalised .

A subject is the person or thing that performs the action described by the verb. In most sentences, it appears at the start or after an introductory phrase, just before the verb it is the subject of.

To be honest, we haven’t made much progress.

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Used as the object of a verb or preposition , the first-person object pronoun takes the form me (singular) or us (plural). Objects can be direct or indirect, but the object pronoun should be used in both cases.

• A direct object is the person or thing that is acted upon (e.g., ‘she threatened us ‘).
• An indirect object is the person or thing that benefits from that action (e.g., ‘Jane gave me a gift’).
• An object pronoun should also be used after a preposition (e.g., ‘come with me ‘).

It makes no difference to me .

Will they tell us where to go?

First-person possessive pronouns are used to represent something that belongs to you. They are mine (singular) and ours (plural).

They are closely related to the first-person possessive determiners my (singular) and our (plural). The difference is that determiners must modify a noun (e.g., ‘ my book’), while pronouns stand on their own (e.g., ‘that one is mine ‘).

It was a close game, but in the end, victory was ours .

A reflexive pronoun is used instead of an object pronoun when the object of the sentence is the same as the subject. The first-person reflexive pronouns are myself (singular) and ourselves (plural). They occur with reflexive verbs, which describe someone acting upon themselves (e.g., ‘I wash myself ‘).

The same words can also be used as emphatic pronouns , in which case they place greater emphasis on the person carrying out the action (e.g., ‘I’ll do it myself ‘).

While first-person pronouns are used without any problem in most contexts, there’s an ongoing debate about their use in academic writing . They have traditionally been avoided in many academic disciplines for two main reasons:

• To maintain an objective tone
• To keep the focus on the material and not the author

However, the first person is increasingly standard in many types of academic writing. Some style guides, such as APA , require the use of first-person pronouns (and determiners) when referring to your own actions and opinions. The tendency varies based on your field of study:

• The natural sciences and other STEM fields (e.g., medicine, biology, engineering) tend to avoid first-person pronouns, although they accept them more than they used to.
• The social sciences and humanities fields (e.g., sociology, philosophy, literary studies) tend to allow first-person pronouns.

Avoiding first-person pronouns

If you do need to avoid using first-person pronouns (and determiners) in your writing, there are three main techniques for doing so.

Each technique has different advantages and disadvantages. For example, the passive voice can sometimes result in dangling modifiers that make your text less clear. If you are allowed to use first-person pronouns, retaining them is the best choice.

Using first-person pronouns appropriately

If you’re allowed to use the first person, you still shouldn’t overuse it. First-person pronouns (and determiners ) are used for specific purposes in academic writing.

Avoid arbitrarily inserting your own thoughts and feelings in a way that seems overly subjective and adds nothing to your argument:

• In my opinion, …
• I think that …
• I dislike …

Pronoun consistency

Whether you may or may not refer to yourself in the first person, it’s important to maintain a consistent point of view throughout your text. Don’t shift between the first person (‘I’, ‘we’) and the third person (‘the author’, ‘the researchers’) within your text.

• The researchers interviewed 12 participants, and our results show that all were in agreement.
• We interviewed 12 participants, and our results show that all were in agreement.
• The researchers interviewed 12 participants, and the results show that all were in agreement.

The editorial ‘we’

Regardless of whether you’re allowed to use the first person in your writing, you should avoid the editorial ‘we’. This is the use of plural first-person pronouns (or determiners) such as ‘we’ to make a generalisation about people. This usage is regarded as overly vague and informal.

Broad generalisations should be avoided, and any generalisations you do need to make should be expressed in a different way, usually with third-person plural pronouns (or occasionally the impersonal pronoun ‘one’). You also shouldn’t use the second-person pronoun ‘you’ for generalisations.

• When we are given more freedom, we can work more effectively.
• When employees are given more freedom, they can work more effectively.
• As we age, we tend to become less concerned with others’ opinions of us .
• As people age, they tend to become less concerned with others’ opinions of them .

Yes, the personal pronoun we and the related pronouns us , ours , and ourselves are all first-person. These are the first-person plural pronouns (and our is the first-person plural possessive determiner ).

If you’ve been told not to refer to yourself in the first person in your academic writing , this means you should also avoid the first-person plural terms above . Switching from ‘I’ to ‘we’ is not a way of avoiding the first person, and it’s illogical if you’re writing alone.

If you need to avoid the first person, you can instead use the passive voice or refer to yourself in the third person as ‘the author’ or ‘the researcher’.

Personal pronouns are words like ‘he’, ‘me’, and ‘yourselves’ that refer to the person you’re addressing, to other people or things, or to yourself. Like other pronouns, they usually stand in for previously mentioned nouns (antecedents).

They are called ‘personal’ not because they always refer to people (e.g., ‘it’ doesn’t) but because they indicate grammatical person ( first , second , or third person). Personal pronouns also change their forms based on number, gender, and grammatical role in a sentence.

In grammar, person is how we distinguish between the speaker or writer (first person), the person being addressed (second person), and any other people, objects, ideas, etc. referred to (third person).

Person is expressed through the different personal pronouns , such as ‘I’ ( first-person pronoun ), ‘you’ ( second-person pronoun ), and ‘they’ (third-person pronoun). It also affects how verbs are conjugated, due to subject-verb agreement (e.g., ‘I am’ vs. ‘you are’).

In fiction, a first-person narrative is one written directly from the perspective of the protagonist . A third-person narrative describes the protagonist from the perspective of a separate narrator. A second-person narrative (very rare) addresses the reader as if they were the protagonist.

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, February 23). First-Person Pronouns | List & Explanation. Scribbr. Retrieved 9 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/nouns/first-person-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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To Use or Not to Use First and Second Person Pronouns

In this paper I will talk about . . . . For some of you, those words sound like fingernails on a chalkboard. Most writing resources tell writers to avoid using first and second person pronouns in formal or academic writing. In fact, IEW’s structural model for Unit 9 contains a large crossed-out I to remind students not to use first person in their essays. The use of first or second person pronouns in research papers or persuasive, argumentative, or analytical essays can make the writer sound biased or the information subjective. First person pronouns (I, me, my, we, us, our ) refer to the writer. Second person pronouns (you, your) directly address the audience. Both are considered unprofessional. While the use of first and second person pronouns is discouraged in formal reports and essays, their use is appropriate in other models, and they can be strategically placed in some types of essays for emphasis or interest.

During my tenure as a middle school English teacher, I found students had difficulty listing the three topics in their thesis statements without using the phrase In this essay I will talk about . . . . In their conclusions, they commonly started sentences with In my opinion when explaining the most significant thing about the subjects of their essays. I required them to remove these phrases from their papers. When students inevitably challenged me, I reminded them that the readers knew this was the writers’ opinions since their names were at the top of the papers. Phrases like in my opinion and I believe undermine the authority of evidence and weaken the ethos of arguments.

Using “I” statements, students risk the reader thinking the claims are the students’ opinions or beliefs rather than substantiated reasoning. Writing in my opinion is redundant. Additionally, it basically tells the readers that they can have different opinions. Sentences without “I” statements are more emphatic and present the information with more authority, relying on the strength of the evidence presented to support the author’s claim rather than the author’s opinion. The writer appears more credible.

“You” statements are ambiguous. The word you may refer to the public in general or the reader specifically. Readers might think you refers directly to them and be offended. Rewriting the sentence to identify the intended group, the writer makes a clearer and stronger statement.

When is it appropriate to use first and second person pronouns? Stories are often told in first person. Several selections from IEW Book Recommendations are written from a first person point of view. In Kidnapped , Robert Louis Stevenson described life during the Jacobite rebellion through the eyes of sixteen-year-old David Balfour. Ben and Me by Robert Lawson is a fantasy novel about Benjamin Franklin’s life as seen by his pet mouse Amos. When students use the Story Sequence Chart in Unit 3: Retelling Narrative Stories , they love the opportunity to rewrite it from a different point of view. Using first person, students can tell the story from the perspective of the protagonist, the antagonist, or even as someone who merely watched the action from outside the story. From a different perspective, writers can add extra details, twists, and surprises to make the story uniquely their own.

Since the Unit 7: Inventive Writing structural model can be used to write personal narratives, reflective essays, and even blog posts, using first person to relate personal experiences helps writers connect with their audience by sounding authentic and relatable. In the introduction the purposeful inclusion of a personal anecdote as an attention getter engages the reader. In the conclusion paragraph a carefully crafted command with its understood you serves as a call to action.

Choosing whether to use first or second person pronouns depends on the assignment’s purpose, tone, and audience. First person pronouns can be used to tell stories and convey personal views and experiences while second person pronouns can be used to address and persuade the reader. Both types of pronouns should be used thoughtfully. In my humble opinion, the information presented in this blog post should help you guide your students when to use and not to use first and second person pronouns.

What is a personal pronoun: First, Second, and Third Person

Published July 21, 2020. Updated January 21, 2022.

Personal pronouns, also known as subject pronouns, are words we use to refer to a person without stating their name. Just then, we used a personal pronoun, we , instead of referring to ourselves by name. Handy, right?

These pronouns come in handy when writing and speaking about yourself and others. Being that these words are so useful, it’s a good idea to learn how to use them properly.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, is I a first-person pronoun ? Or, is you a personal pronoun ? Or even, what are personal pronouns , anyway? , you’ve come to the right place! This guide will cover the answers to these questions:

What is a personal pronoun?

What are the different kinds of personal pronouns.

• What are first-person pronouns?
• Why do they matter?
• How do you use them?

By the end, you’ll know the definition of first-person and personal pronouns, why they are important for making language flow, and how to use them properly. If you need more info on subject pronouns, see this .

Let’s start with the basics first: what is a pronoun? Pronouns, simply put, are words that replace nouns. Pronouns can replace people, such as in this line from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone :

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool.

Pronouns can also replace places and things, such as in this line from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself .

Besides personal pronouns, there are also object pronouns, possessive pronouns, relative pronouns, reflexive pronouns, and, believe it or not, even more kinds of pronouns, but let’s not get into those now. Let’s focus on personal and first-person pronouns because, let’s face it, we all love talking about ourselves, right?

So, what is a personal pronoun? What sets it apart from the rest of the pronoun family? Personal pronouns only refer to people. Here are some examples you know and love. Each one serves to stand in for a person’s name or multiple people’s names.

Here are example sentences you might use on a daily basis:

I am going to class now.

You will love them .

They are meeting us later.

Not all personal pronouns are created equal. They can be broken down into four categories: point of view, case, gender, and quantity. It’s a lot to digest, but don’t worry. Let’s break it down.

Point of view

What are third-, second-, and first-person pronouns?

The most important use of personal pronouns is to talk about ourselves and others, and to do that, we need to use different points of view. Let’s hone in on the three points of view and how they differ.

First-Person Pronouns

The first-person point of view refers to language told from the speaker’s or writer’s point of view. First-person pronouns, then, are pronouns that you’d use when talking about yourself and groups you’re a part of. I , we , me , and us are first-person pronouns. Look how Ron uses them in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone :

“ I know who you are!” said Ron suddenly. “My brothers told me about you⁠—you’re Nearly Headless Nick!”

First-person pronouns are not appropriate in all situations, especially in formal or academic writing, except in specific cases. First-person accounts are not deemed acceptable in scientific and academic writing in which readers are looking for factual information. Use the first-person pronoun in academic writing to

• Give opinions that the larger community is not yet open to accepting
• Hedge or suggest something
• Create a bridge to connect with the readers, especially if the author is explaining a difficult concept
• Establish a teacher-student or an expert-novice context
• Explain terms to show the common practices or thoughts, where the words we and our are used
• Show the author’s expertise in the field where his or her opinion will carry credibility
• Avoid implicit assumptions
• Organize the text and give the reader an idea of what to expect
• Create sections and methodologies
• Show that what the author is trying to say is unique
• Build on the writer’s previous work
• Dispute what others have said

Second-Person Pronouns

The second-person point of view refers to language about the person being addressed. It’s often called the “you” point of view. The only second-person personal pronoun is you . See how Ron uses “you” in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone :

“ You don’t know that you ’ll make a fool of yourself,” said Ron reasonably.

Difference between Singular and Plural Second-Person Pronouns

Let us consider this with an example:

You may help yourself and rise up to the occasion. ( Yourself is used as a singular, second-person pronoun).

You may help yourselves and rise up to the occasion. ( Yourselves is used as a plural, second-person pronoun.)

In the above examples, the situation and context were the same. However, by positioning the singular and plural versions of the second-person pronoun you , the context changes and provides meaning to the reader.

Third-Person Pronouns

The third-person point of view refers to language about someone besides the speaker. Third-person pronouns are the words you use to talk about others: he , him , she , her , it , they , and them. Look how J.K. Rowling uses third-person pronouns in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to avoid repeating “Hermione”:

She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles.

Why are they important?

So, what are personal pronouns good for? If you’re wondering why you need to bother with pronouns when you have perfectly good names, this one’s for you. Take a look at the passage below from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets .

Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy.

Sounds good, right? Well, take a look at what happens if you take out all the pronouns in the same passage

Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. Slytherin believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. Slytherin disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing the students of Muggle parentage to be untrustworthy.

Not quite as eloquent, huh? Need we say more?

How to properly use personal pronouns

Now that we’ve established the necessity of personal pronouns, let’s talk about how to use them. There are a few common mistakes that are easy to make when using these pronouns. Let’s go through them and discuss how to avoid them.

1. Personal pronoun /antecedent disagreement If you use a personal pronoun to replace a noun, be sure the quantities match. So, if you are replacing the singular noun phrase “a student,” don’t use the plural pronoun “they” but rather “he or she.”

Incorrect : Jane, Lila, and Wendy all went to the beach. She had a good time. Correct : Jane, Lila, and Wendy all went to the beach. They had a good time.

2. Subjective vs. objective pronouns

Subjective pronouns ( I, you, he, she, it, we, they ) are subjects and should not be used as objects, just as objective pronouns ( me, you, her, him, it, us, them ) should not be used as subjects.

Take this example from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone :

Incorrect : The Potters knew very well what him and Petunia thought about them and their kind. Correct : The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind.

Would you ever say, “The Potters knew very well what  thought about them and their kind?” Probably not.

3. Using a “self” pronoun instead of a personal pronoun We didn’t discuss the reflexive “self” pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, etc.) in this guide, but it’s a common error to sub in one of those him in place of a personal pronoun.

Take this example from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone:

Incorrect : He couldn’t see how Petunia and himself could get mixed up in anything that might be going on. Correct : He couldn’t see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on.

As a final note, be sure to respect others’ identities by using their preferred pronouns. If you are aware of the pronouns that a person identifies with, you should use those pronouns. If you’re ever unsure, you may use they or them .

Key takeaways

Personal pronouns:

• Replace people in grammar.
• Include: I , you , he , she , it , we , they , me , you , her , him , it , us , them
• Are categorized by point of view, case, gender, and quantity.
• Save us from having to repeat names over and over.
• First-person pronouns include I, me, we, us

Worried about your writing? The Chegg Writing grammar checker can help you identify and fix potential writing issues.

Review questions and exercises

Next time your friend asks you, “What is a personal pronoun?” or “Is you a personal pronoun?”, you’ll know the answer, but let’s make sure you know your grammar backwards and forwards. You’ve got this!

• a. pronouns that indicate which entities are being referred to
• b. pronouns used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same
• c. pronouns that indicate possession
• d. pronouns that refer to a particular grammatical person
• a. Jess and her are going to play soccer.
• b. She and Jess are going to play soccer.
• a. Yes, because it refers to a person
• b. No, because it shows possession
• a. We don’t want to go out to eat.
• b. She wants to go to the pool.
• c. Are you listening to him?
• d. Give her the phone.
• a. Her friends are fun, but they are not nice.
• b. His friends aren’t fun, but it is nice.
• a. Her and Jack got a snack from the vending machine.
• b. Jack and herself got a snack from the vending machine.
• c. She and Jack got a snack from the vending machine.

Works cited

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . Scholastic Inc., 2018.

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . Scholastic Inc., 2018.

Parts of Speech Guides

For more details, visit these additional guides on parts of speech .

More on pronouns

• Intro to pronouns
• Relative pronouns
• Indefinite pronouns
• Possessive pronouns
• Demonstrative pronouns
• Subject and object pronouns
• Reflexive pronouns
• Pronouns list
• Gender pronouns
• Intensive pronouns
• Personal pronouns
• Second person pronouns
• Third person pronouns

More on parts of speech

Published July 21, 2020.

By Jolee McManus. Jolee earned a BA in English from the University of Georgia. She has several years of experience as a writing tutor and freelance copywriter and editor.

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