Its Self or Itself: The Complete Grammar Guide You Need (With Clear Examples)

Have you ever stopped while writing and wondered whether Its Self or Itself is the correct form? 🤔 This common grammar question confuses students, professionals, bloggers, and even native English speakers. The confusion happens because “its” is a possessive pronoun, while “itself” is a reflexive pronoun, making the difference seem small at first glance. However, choosing between Its Self or Itself can affect the grammatical accuracy and professionalism of your writing. Understanding the correct form is important for clear communication, whether you’re writing emails, essays, social media posts, or business documents.

English grammar follows specific rules for reflexive pronouns, and this is where many writers make mistakes. While “itself” is the standard and correct form in modern English, “its self” is generally considered incorrect except in very rare historical or stylistic contexts. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly when to use “itself,” why “its self” is usually wrong, and how to avoid this common grammar error with confidence. ✍️

---

Quick Answer: Its Self or Itself

The correct form is “itself.”

“Itself” is a reflexive pronoun used when something refers back to the same object or thing in a sentence. For example: “The machine repaired itself.”

The form “its self” is generally incorrect in modern English grammar and is only seen in very rare, outdated, or stylistic cases where “self” is treated as a separate noun.

---

Understanding the Basics: Its Self vs Itself

To fully understand this confusion, we need to break the words down.

What does “itself” mean?

“Itself” is a reflexive pronoun. It is used when the subject and object of a sentence refer to the same thing.

✔ Example:

• The dog cleaned itself.

Here, “dog” is both performing and receiving the action.

---

Why “its self” looks confusing

The confusion happens because:

• “its” is a possessive pronoun (meaning belonging to it)
• “self” looks like a separate noun (like “my self,” “your self”)

But in modern grammar, “self” is not used independently in this way.

Also Read This: Input or Imput

---

Comparison Table: Its Self vs Itself

---

Correct Meanings & Uses of “Itself”

1. Reflexive Use (Most Common)

Used when the subject acts on itself.

✔ Example:

• The robot powered itself down.

Sentence breakdown:

• Subject: robot
• Action: powered down
• Object: itself (same robot)

---

2. Emphasis Use

Used to emphasize something.

✔ Example:

• The city itself is beautiful.

Here, “itself” emphasizes “city.”

---

3. Automatic or Natural Action

Used when something happens without external help.

✔ Example:

• The door closed itself.

---

Test Tip 🧠

If you can replace the word with “himself” or “herself” and the sentence still makes sense, then “itself” is correct.

---

Case Study: Real-Life Usage Example

Email Example (Professional Setting)

❌ Incorrect:

The system will restart its self after updates.

✔ Correct:

The system will restart itself after updates.

Workplace Conversation

A technician says:

“The machine fixed itself overnight.”

This shows natural automated behavior, making “itself” the correct choice.

---

Grammar Rules Explanation

The reason “itself” is correct and “its self” is incorrect comes from standard English grammar rules for reflexive pronouns.

According to grammar references like Merriam-Webster and major style guides:

• Reflexive pronouns are always written as a single word:
  • myself
  • yourself
  • himself
  • herself
  • itself
  • ourselves
  • themselves

👉 There is no modern standard rule that supports splitting “self” from these pronouns.

Why “its self” is wrong

• “its” is possessive, not reflexive
• “self” is not used as a standalone noun in modern English grammar
• Combining them incorrectly breaks grammatical structure

---

Common Mistakes 

Many learners confuse “its self” and “itself” due to:

• fast typing ⌨️
• autocorrect errors 📱
• misunderstanding reflexive pronouns
• influence from informal writing

---

Table: Similar Grammar Confusions

---

Usage in Different Contexts

1. Everyday Conversation

• The cat cleaned itself.

2. Professional Writing

• The software updates itself automatically.

3. Creative Writing

• The forest seemed to heal itself after the storm.

4. Social Media / Texting

• This phone literally fixed itself 😲

---

Why It Matters (Important)

Correct grammar is not just about rules—it is about clarity and professionalism.

Using “itself” correctly:

• improves communication clarity
• avoids misunderstanding
• enhances writing credibility
• shows strong language command

As George Orwell famously implied in writing principles:

“Good writing is clear thinking made visible.”

---

Special Exception 

In very old or poetic English, writers sometimes separated “self” for stylistic emphasis. For example:

• “its self” (archaic poetic usage)

However:

• This is NOT used in modern grammar
• It is not acceptable in academic, professional, or casual writing today

---

Quick Recap Checklist

Practice Examples

1. The computer restarted ______.
2. The bird cleaned ______ feathers.
3. The system updated ______ automatically.

✔ Answers: itself, itself, itself

---

FAQs 

1. Is “its self” ever correct?

No, in modern English, “its self” is considered incorrect. The correct form is “itself.”

---

2. Why do people write “its self”?

It usually happens due to fast typing, autocorrect, or misunderstanding grammar rules.

---

3. What type of word is “itself”?

“Itself” is a reflexive pronoun.

---

4. Can “itself” be used for emphasis?

Yes. Example: The building itself is historic.

---

5. Is “its self” used in British or American English?

No, neither British nor American English uses “its self” in standard writing.

---

6. What is the easiest way to remember it?

Remember this rule:
👉 Reflexive pronouns are always one word (myself, yourself, itself).

---

Conclusion 

Understanding the difference between “its self” and “itself” is essential for writing clear and grammatically correct English. The correct and widely accepted form is “itself,” which functions as a reflexive pronoun used when a subject refers back to itself. On the other hand, “its self” is an outdated and incorrect form that does not belong in modern English grammar.

By learning this rule, you improve not only your grammar accuracy but also your writing confidence in everyday communication, academic tasks, and professional environments. Small mistakes like this can change how your writing is perceived, so mastering them is important.

Always remember: reflexive pronouns in English are written as a single word. Once you internalize this simple rule, you will never hesitate between “its self” and “itself” again. Strong grammar leads to strong communication—and strong communication leads to success. ✨