Itself vs. Themselves

Attribute	Itself	Themselves
Definition	Refers to a single entity	Refers to multiple entities
Usage	Used when talking about a single subject	Used when talking about multiple subjects
Subject Pronoun	He, She, It	They
Object Pronoun	Him, Her, It	Them

Definition

Itself and themselves are both reflexive pronouns in the English language. They are used to refer back to the subject of a sentence or clause. The main difference between the two is that "itself" is used when the subject is singular, while "themselves" is used when the subject is plural.

Usage

When using "itself," you are referring to a singular noun or pronoun. For example, "The cat groomed itself." In this sentence, "itself" refers back to the singular noun "cat." On the other hand, when using "themselves," you are referring to a plural noun or pronoun. For example, "The cats groomed themselves." In this sentence, "themselves" refers back to the plural noun "cats."

Examples

Here are a few more examples to illustrate the difference between "itself" and "themselves":

• The book fell off the shelf and landed on the floor. It opened by itself.
• The students worked together on the project and presented it to the class themselves.
• The tree planted itself in the middle of the garden.
• The birds built their nests in the trees by themselves.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same. In English, reflexive pronouns always end in "-self" or "-selves." This includes pronouns like "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," "ourselves," "yourselves," and "themselves."

Agreement

It is important to ensure that the reflexive pronoun used in a sentence agrees with the subject. If the subject is singular, use "itself." If the subject is plural, use "themselves." Using the wrong reflexive pronoun can lead to confusion or grammatical errors in your writing.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake that people make is using "themselves" when referring to a singular subject. For example, saying "The dog hurt themselves" is incorrect because "dog" is singular. The correct sentence would be "The dog hurt itself." Another common mistake is using "itself" when referring to a plural subject, such as saying "The children played by itself." The correct sentence would be "The children played by themselves."

Conclusion

In conclusion, the difference between "itself" and "themselves" lies in the number of the subject they refer back to. "Itself" is used with singular subjects, while "themselves" is used with plural subjects. It is important to pay attention to agreement when using reflexive pronouns to ensure clear and correct communication in your writing.