46. How to Avoid ‘I’, ‘We’ and ‘You’

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“I”, “we” and “you” can be difficult to avoid if a passive verb is not possible

THE IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING ‘I’, ‘WE’ AND ‘YOU’

The words I, we and you (and equivalent forms like me, my, mine, us and yours) are frequently said to be unsuitable in formal writing. Indeed, the absence of these words, along with various others, is often part of the very definition of this sort of writing (see 166. Appropriacy in Professional English).

The perceived need to avoid words like I, we and you in academic and professional writing also suggests something important about what this kind of writing is not. Academic and professional writers do not try to use impressive wording for its own sake; they only resort to it in order to avoid an undesirable alternative. The over-riding aim, as in most types of writing, is to write as clearly and simply as possible.

The deeper reason that is usually given for avoiding I, we or you in formal English is a need to sound impersonal, objective and functional. These words are felt to conflict with that because they make unnecessary references to particular people. They are suitable only when they stand for some types of I, we or you, such as the writer of a CV or the addressee of an advice leaflet (see 187. Advising and Recommending).

In order to avoid I, we and you, it is necessary to know what substitute language can replace them. This is the same kind of problem as that presented by paraphrasing (see 80. How to Paraphrase). In both cases the solution will often be obvious, but sometimes difficult to see. This discussion concentrates on the difficulty that replacing I, we and you can give when they are the subject of a sentence. For some advice on how to replace them in other sentence positions, see 39. “Decide” or “Make a Decision?”.

For information in this blog about other words to avoid in formal writing, see especially 108. Formal and Informal Words, plus the Learning Materials page under the heading Words to Avoid in Academic Writing. Clicking on “Formal Style” in the CATEGORIES menu on the right of this page will bring up other relevant posts, including the diagnostic 193. A Test of Formal Language Use.

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PROBLEMS IN AVOIDING INFORMAL SUBJECT PRONOUNS

One strategy that is sometimes possible for avoiding an unwanted subject pronoun is replacing it with a more acceptable word. The problem is finding the right one.

I has a small number of alternatives. If its verb is a writing one, such as will describe… or have presented…, then a text-referring noun like this essay or the previous section can replace I. On the other hand, if the verb’s action is outside the text this writer is sometimes possible, though having no word at all through use of a passive verb or equivalent, as outlined below, is usually best. One expression that is very rarely appropriate is the researcher.

Alternatives to we and you also exist in some contexts. We and you meaning “anyone” might be be replaceable by one, someone or people (see 211. General Words for People). You meaning “the reader” can often become the reader or readers.

The pronoun-avoiding strategy that many English courses concentrate on is making the verb passive. Yet in surprisingly many cases this strategy is not possible. The following sentences (except the first) illustrate a range of situations that rule it out.

(a) I will describe three main categories.

(b) I was affected in three different ways.

(c) I proceeded (a little later).

(d) I became a group member.

(e) I want first to provide some background.

(f) I enjoyed sampling the product.

(g) I know that the problem is not solved.

(h) I contend that reading helps grammar learning.

The reason why only (a) can avoid I by means of a standard verb change from active to passive (Three main categories will be described) is that only it possesses the requirements for such a change: an active verb (will describe) with an object (categories − for details of objects, see 8. Object-Dropping Errors).

In sentence (b), a change from active to passive is not possible because the verb with I is already passive (was affected). In the others, although the verb with I is active, there is no object. Sentence (c) has an active verb with nothing at all after it, or just the adverb phrase a little later. In (d), there is a noun after the verb (group member), but it is a complement rather than an object (it refers to the subject). The other sentences all have another verb after the one with I. In (e) this verb is in the infinitive form (to provide), in (f) it has -ing, while in (g) and (h) it is in an ordinary statement after that.

Yet all of these problem structures can be altered so as to avoid the undesirable I. Even sentence (a) can be altered without using a passive verb: instead of will be described it could have a different verb in the active voice, such as follow (see 27. How to Avoid Passive Verbs) or there are (see 161. Special Uses of “There” Sentences). The rest of this post is about structural changes for avoiding unwanted pronouns in sentences like (b)–(h).

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OTHER WAYS TO AVOID UNWANTED PRONOUNS

1. When the Verb is Already Passive or Lacks an Object

In this situation – sentences (b) and (c) above – the most useful strategy appears to be to change the verb into a related noun (see 131. Uses of “Action” Nouns, #3). Here are sentences (b) and (c) after this change (with the relevant nouns underlined): 

(b1) Three different effects were felt.

(c1) The procedure was performed (a little later). 

Finding a related noun (or a synonym of one) is not so difficult (see 249. Action Noun Endings); a greater challenge is often finding the verb to go with it, especially since some appropriate verbs are quite idiomatic partners of the chosen noun (see 173. “Do Research” or “Make Research”?). For further examples of this way to avoid informal pronouns, see 39. “Decide” or “Make a Decision”?.

If the subject of the sentence lacks the (as in b1) there + BE is often another possibility (There were three…). For more, see 161. Special Uses of “There” Sentences).

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2. When the Verb Has a Complement

A complement is a noun, pronoun or adjective that is matched by a verb to an earlier noun or pronoun (see 220. Features of Complements). For example, in (d) above the complement a group member matches I – they are the same person. Complements can often be recognised from the verbs they follow: BECOME, BE and a few others. In addition to (d) above, the following all contain a complement: 

(i) I became uncomfortable.

(j) I felt proud.

(k) I was a supervisor. 

These sentences can be paraphrased without I like this: 

(d1) Group membership was taken up.

(i1) Discomfort was felt/There was discomfort.

(j1)  (A feeling of) pride was experienced.

(k1) A supervisory position was held. 

Generalizing from these is difficult, but the main tendency seems to be to make the complement into the subject of the new sentence, rather as we do with objects. Adjective complements (uncomfortable, proud) become related nouns (discomfort, pride), whereas noun complements (a group member, a supervisor) often need to be slightly changed (in these examples the meaning of “status” or “position” or “role” needs to be added).

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3. When the Verb Has another Verb Soon After

A very useful avoidance strategy here is to begin with it and a form of BE. Compare the following with the original sentences above: 

(e1) It is necessary first TO PROVIDE some background.

(f1) It was enjoyable SAMPLING/TO SAMPLE the product.

(g1) It is recognised that the problem IS not SOLVED.

(h1) It can be contended that reading HELPS grammar learning.

The second verb in such sentences (capitalised) sometimes has to, sometimes -ing and sometimes that… (see 103. Representing a Later Statement with “It”). Before to or -ing, an alternative to an I verb – I want and I enjoyed in (e) and (f) above – is often it is/was + the I verb’s related adjective: necessary and enjoyable in (e1) and (f1).

Before that…, however, a passive verb often seems the best choice after a starting it, though one could instead use BE + a “truth” adjective like acceptable, arguable, certain, clear, (in)correct, definite, likely, possible, probable and (un)true. Truth adjectives are especially useful for agreeing or disagreeing without saying I (dis)agree (see 152. Agreeing and Disagreeing in Formal Contexts).

Using a passive verb after it in order to avoid I sometimes necessitates is, as in (g1), and sometimes can be, as in (h1). Using can be when is is needed is likely to sound strange; using is when can be is needed gives the wrong meaning: not “by me” but either “by everyone” (see 22. Multiple Speakers in a Text) or “by me elsewhere” (a common use in abstracts, which report content rather than develop it).

How can one know whether to use is or can be when avoiding I with a non-reporting passive verb? The choice seems to depend on the partner verb. RECOGNISE is a thought verb, CONTEND a speech one. Other thought verbs that, like RECOGNISE, usually have is to mean “by me” include BELIEVE, CONSIDER, DEEM, EXPECT, FEEL, HOLD, HOPE and KNOW. An exception is THINK – is thought is always reporting (and cannot have can be instead of is).

Speech verbs that, like CONTEND, need can be to develop a point without using I commonly express particular types of meaning. Some resemble CONTEND (e.g. ARGUE, CONSIDER, MAINTAIN, CLAIM), some are naming (CALL, DUB, NAME, REFER TO), some are exemplifying (EXEMPLIFY, ILLUSTRATE), some are classifying (CATEGORISE, CLASSIFY, DIVIDE, SEPARATE, SPLIT), and one (DEFINE) is defining (see 237. Auxiliary Verbs in Professional Communication, #4).

Many sentences that allow it can also be written with there + BE + NOUN (see 161. Special Uses of “There” Sentences, #4). This is certainly true of sentences (e1), (f1) and (g1), which could respectively begin There is a need…, There was enjoyment… and There is recognition…. Note how a need is preferred to a necessity. The negative There is no need to… is also common.

Sentences like (h1) could also begin there is an argument…, though this is probably more often used for reporting a contention than simply making one.