itself
- 01 A2 Elementary
you use this when a thing or animal does something to itself.
the reflexive form of 'it', used as the object of a verb or preposition when the object is the same as the subject.
Simple“The cat licked itself clean after finishing its bowl of milk.”
In context“The software update will download and install itself automatically once the computer is connected to a power source.”
UsageUsed as a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.
PitfallThe cat cleaned it after eating. The cat cleaned itself after eating.Use 'itself' when the subject and object are the same thing or animal.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
you use this to emphasize the specific thing you are talking about.
an emphatic pronoun used to intensify a noun or another pronoun, highlighting that specific entity over others.
Simple“The house itself is small, but the garden is very large.”
In context“While the conclusion of the report was controversial, the data itself was considered beyond reproach by the scientific community.”
UsageOften placed immediately after the noun it emphasizes or at the end of the clause.
Synonyms
Usage itself becomes
From Middle English hit-self, equivalent to it + -self.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.