“Itself” is correct. “Its self” is not standard English and should be avoided in everyday, academic, and professional writing. The confusion happens because “its” (possessive) and “self” (a noun meaning identity) look like they could combine the same way “your” and “self” don’t combine into “your self.” But English already has a single reflexive word for this job — itself — the same way it has himself, herself, and myself.
Quick Answer: “Itself” Is Correct — Here’s Why
“Itself” is the reflexive form of “it.” You use it when the subject of a sentence performs an action on itself, or when you want to add emphasis to a noun.
“Its self,” written as two words, is not a recognized grammatical structure in standard English. It occasionally appears in philosophy or literary writing, where “self” is treated as a standalone noun meaning identity or consciousness — but that use is rare and shouldn’t guide everyday writing.
| Its self | Itself | |
|---|---|---|
| Word count | Two words | One word |
| Standard grammar | No | Yes |
| Function | Not a recognized part of speech | Reflexive/intensive pronoun |
| Typical context | Occasional philosophical or literary use | Everyday, academic, and professional writing |
| Example | The mind reflects on its self. (niche, philosophical) | The mind reflects on itself. (standard) |
Correct: The printer fixed itself after a restart. Incorrect: The printer fixed its self after a restart.
What Does “Itself” Mean?
“Itself” refers back to a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned in the sentence, showing that the subject and the object are the same. It works two ways:
- Reflexive: the subject does something to itself. The cat groomed itself.
- Intensive (for emphasis): it highlights the noun rather than describing an action. The building itself was undamaged, though the roof leaked.
Word Origin of “Itself”
“Itself” comes from Old English, formed by combining “it” with “self,” the same pattern used to build “himself” and “herself.” According to Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries, its word origin traces to Old English, built from “it” and “self” as a single compound rather than two separate words joined later. That’s part of why splitting it into “its self” reads as a mistake today: the compound has been fused for centuries.
Pronunciation and Syllables
“Itself” has two syllables: it-SELF, with the stress on the second syllable. The standard pronunciation, confirmed by Cambridge Dictionary and Wiktionary, is written in IPA as /ɪtˈsɛlf/ in both American and British English — there’s no meaningful pronunciation difference between the two varieties for this word.
Why “Its Self” Is Grammatically Wrong (in Most Cases)
English reflexive pronouns are built as single, closed compounds: myself, yourself, himself, herself, ourselves, themselves. “Itself” follows that same pattern. Writing “its self” breaks the compound apart and turns “self” into a standalone noun, which changes the sentence’s grammar entirely — “its” would need to modify “self” the way “its” modifies “tail” in “its tail.”
The mix-up usually happens for one of two reasons: writers either mentally hear “self” as a separate concept (identity, soul, personality) and reach for a possessive, or they’re influenced by phrases like “its own” and “its nature,” which are correctly written as two words. Those phrases are grammatically different from the reflexive pronoun, even though they look similar on the page.
“Itself” in Everyday Use: Examples
With Animals
- The dog scratched itself behind the ear.
- The bird preened itself on the fence.
- Left alone, the cat entertained itself for hours.
With Objects and Machines
- The washing machine shuts itself off at the end of the cycle.
- The software updates itself overnight.
- The door locks itself automatically after ten seconds.
With Abstract Ideas
- History has a way of repeating itself.
- The problem eventually solved itself once the deadline passed.
- Good writing explains itself without excessive detail.
“Itself” as Emphasis vs. Reflexive Use
Not every “itself” describes an action. Sometimes it emphasizes the noun right before it, similar to how “himself” can stress “the manager himself signed the form.”
Reflexive (an action directed back at the subject): The engine cooled itself down after the drive.
Intensive (emphasis, no action involved): The engine itself was fine; the problem was the fuel line.
If you can remove “itself” and the sentence still makes sense but loses emphasis, it’s intensive. If removing it changes who received the action, it’s reflexive.
Its Self vs. Itself vs. It’s Self: Side-by-Side Comparison
The reflexive-pronoun mix-up often overlaps with the its/it’s confusion, since all three forms sound identical when spoken.
| Form | Correct? | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Itself | Yes | Reflexive/intensive pronoun | The team itself made the decision. |
| Its self | Rare, niche use only | “Self” as a standalone noun (identity) | The philosopher wrote about the self’s relationship to its self. |
| It’s self | No | Not a recognized form in any context | The dog groomed it’s self. ❌ |
“It’s” is always a contraction of “it is” or “it has,” never a possessive, so “it’s self” is incorrect in every context — not just informal writing.
The Rare Exception: When “Its Self” Is Used in Philosophy and Literature
In specialized philosophical, psychological, or literary writing, “self” is sometimes treated as an independent noun referring to identity, consciousness, or inner being. In that narrow context, “its self” can be grammatically valid, meaning “the self belonging to it.”
Example: The organism gradually becomes aware of its self as separate from its environment.
This construction is uncommon and largely limited to academic or literary discussions of identity and consciousness. Outside those specific contexts, “its self” reads as an error, not a stylistic choice, so it’s best avoided in general writing, business communication, and everyday English.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Writing “Its Self” Instead of “Itself”
Correct: The company prides itself on customer service. Incorrect: The company prides its self on customer service. Explanation: “Prides itself” is a fixed reflexive phrase; splitting it into two words is never correct here.
Confusing “Its” and “It’s”
Correct: The app lost its connection, but it’s working again now. Incorrect: The app lost it’s connection, but its working again now. Explanation: “Its” shows possession (no apostrophe); “it’s” is short for “it is” or “it has.” Try substituting “it is” into the sentence — if it doesn’t make sense, you need “its.”
Memory Tricks to Never Mix Up “Its Self” and “Itself”
These are simple learning aids, not official grammar rules:
- One word, one idea: Just like “myself” and “himself” are single words, “itself” stays single too.
- The “his/her” test: If you could naturally swap in “himself” or “herself,” use “itself” — not “its self.”
- Reserve the split form for philosophy class: If your sentence isn’t about identity or consciousness, you almost certainly want “itself.”
Quick Practice: Its Self or Itself?
- The robot recalibrated ___ before starting the task.
- The theory contradicts ___ in the final chapter.
- The committee ___ couldn’t agree on a date.
- The philosopher explored how the mind perceives ___.
- The candle eventually burned ___ out.
- The report ___ raised more questions than answers.
(Answer key below.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “its self” ever grammatically correct? Yes, but only in narrow philosophical or literary contexts where “self” refers to identity or consciousness as a standalone concept. In everyday, academic, or professional writing, “itself” is the correct choice.
What’s the difference between “itself” and “it’s self”? “Itself” is a standard reflexive pronoun. “It’s self” is never correct, because “it’s” is always a contraction of “it is” or “it has,” not a possessive.
Why do people write “its self” instead of “itself”? Writers sometimes think of “self” as a separate concept, similar to “soul” or “identity,” and instinctively add a possessive before it. English reflexive pronouns don’t work that way — they’re built as single compound words.
Is “itself” one word or two words? “Itself” is always one word when used as a reflexive or intensive pronoun. The two-word form “its self” only applies in the rare philosophical sense.
Can “itself” be used at the start of a sentence? It’s uncommon but not incorrect, typically for emphasis: “Itself a small country, it wields outsized influence.” In most writing, “itself” appears mid-sentence or at the end.
What’s the difference between “itself” and “in itself”? “In itself” is a fixed phrase meaning “on its own” or “considered alone,” as in “The idea, in itself, isn’t bad.” It’s a set expression rather than a separate grammar rule.
Is “prides itself” or “prides its self” correct? “Prides itself” is correct. This is a fixed reflexive phrase, and “its self” is never a valid substitute here.
How do you use “itself” for emphasis instead of reflexively? Place “itself” directly after the noun you want to stress, without any action attached to it: “The design itself was excellent, even if the materials were cheap.”
Does spellcheck catch “its self” as an error? Most modern spellcheckers and grammar tools flag “its self” as nonstandard, though results vary by software. It’s still worth checking manually, since some tools miss it in casual or informal text.
Is “of its self” ever correct, or should it always be “of itself”? “Of itself” is the standard phrase, meaning “by its own nature.” “Of its self” is not standard outside specialized philosophical writing.
What part of speech is “itself”? “Itself” is a pronoun — specifically, the third-person singular neuter reflexive and intensive pronoun.
The Bottom Line
“Itself” is the correct, standard form in virtually all everyday, academic, and professional writing. “Its self” only has a place in narrow philosophical or literary discussions of identity, and even there it’s uncommon. When in doubt, treat “itself” the same way you’d treat “himself” or “herself” — as one solid, reflexive word.
