Its Self or Itself: Which Is Correct? Meaning, Difference & Usage

✨ Its Self or Itself? can cause confusion in grammar usage, spelling, and word choice, but itself is the standard form for a reflexive pronoun.

The grammar, spelling, and word choice of its self and itself can create confusion when you talk to someone online or study grammar usage. The standard form is itself, written without a space. Itself works as a reflexive pronoun that refers back to it, such as a thing, animal, situation, or idea. “The dog scratched itself” shows the function clearly. The difference between the two forms becomes easier when you see their grammatical roles.

To learn the correct usage, check the context step by step. Its self has a space and is usually nonstandard in ordinary writing when you need the reflexive form. Its self can appear in special contexts when self works as an ordinary noun. A computer can be described as having restarted itself, while a company may have released a statement to solve a problem. These examples show the grammatical distinction, meaning, and role of each word form.

Quick Answer: Is It “Its Self” or “Itself”?

Itself is the correct standard form when you need the reflexive pronoun.

Use itself when the subject and the object refer to the same thing:

The machine repaired itself.

Here, the machine performs the action and receives the action. That’s why itself works.

You also use itself to add emphasis:

The machine itself isn’t the problem.

In this sentence, itself emphasizes the machine.

By contrast, its self consists of two separate words: the possessive its and the noun self. It doesn’t function as the ordinary reflexive pronoun.

Form	Standard use	Example
itself	Reflexive pronoun	The robot fixed itself.
itself	Emphasis	The robot itself was expensive.
its	Possession	The robot lost its arm.
its self	Rare literal noun construction	Its self became the subject of philosophical discussion.

Major English dictionaries define itself as the reflexive form of it and also recognize its emphatic use. Cambridge, Oxford, and Collins all describe these functions.

Table of Contents

What Does “Itself” Mean?

Itself is a reflexive pronoun. It refers back to a singular subject represented by it.

Cambridge describes reflexive pronouns as forms that refer back to the subject. Its reflexive-pronoun table gives the relationship it → itself.

Think of it as a grammatical boomerang. The action starts with the subject and comes back to that same subject.

For example:

The cat performs the cleaning. The cat also receives the action. Therefore, itself refers back to the cat.

The same pattern appears in many contexts:

The phone turned itself off.
The door closed itself.
The bird injured itself.
The company introduced itself to new customers.
The software updated itself overnight.

Itself as a Reflexive Pronoun

The most important use of itself is reflexive.

A reflexive pronoun usually appears when the subject and object refer to the same person or thing.

Compare these sentences:

The dog scratched itself.

The dog scratched the child.

The first sentence uses itself because the dog receives its own action. The second sentence doesn’t use a reflexive pronoun because the dog and child are different.

This distinction matters because reflexive pronouns tell readers exactly where the action lands.

Itself for Emphasis

Itself can also emphasize a noun or pronoun.

For example:

The house itself isn’t very large.

The word itself doesn’t mean that the house is acting on itself. Instead, it draws attention specifically to the house.

You could remove itself and still have a grammatical sentence:

The house isn’t very large.

Adding itself creates emphasis. It suggests that the house is being considered separately from other things associated with it.

Oxford gives the same basic pattern in examples such as “the village itself.”

What Does “Its Self” Mean?

This is where the confusion gets interesting.

Its self contains two separate grammatical elements:

its = possessive form related to it
self = a noun meaning a person’s or thing’s identity, nature, or being

The problem occurs when writers assume that its self is simply another way to spell itself.

It isn’t.

In standard modern English, the reflexive pronoun is written as one word:

itself

Not:

its self

So if you mean “the thing itself,” use itself.

Why “Its Self” Usually Looks Wrong

Consider this sentence:

The machine repaired its self.

That sentence is not the normal way to express the reflexive relationship. The correct form is:

The machine repaired itself.

The one-word form is an established reflexive pronoun, just like these:

myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
ourselves
themselves

Cambridge specifically lists itself as the reflexive counterpart of it.

Can “Its Self” Ever Appear?

Yes, but this needs careful explanation.

Its self can occur when self is being treated as a separate noun rather than as part of the reflexive pronoun itself. Such constructions are unusual in everyday English and often sound philosophical, literary, or highly abstract.

For example:

The discussion focused on the machine and its self.

Even here, many writers would choose a clearer expression such as:

The discussion focused on the machine and its own identity.

Or:

The discussion focused on the machine itself.

The distinction is important. A rare grammatical possibility doesn’t make its self an acceptable replacement for itself.

In practical writing, itself is almost always the form you want when the meaning is reflexive or emphatic.

Its vs. Itself: The Key Difference

The easiest way to understand this topic is to separate its from itself.

“Its” Shows Possession

Its normally indicates that something belongs to or is associated with it.

For example:

The company changed its policy.

The policy belongs to or is associated with the company.

Another example:

The bird spread its wings.

The wings belong to the bird.

Here are more examples:

The phone lost its signal.
The tree dropped its leaves.
The restaurant changed its menu.
The computer completed its update.
The organization published its report.

Dictionary.com defines its as the possessive form of it.

“Itself” Shows Reflexive Meaning

Itself, on the other hand, usually points back to the subject.

The bird cleaned itself.

The bird is both the doer and receiver of the action.

Compare:

The bird cleaned its feathers.

Here, its shows possession. The feathers belong to the bird.

That one-word difference changes the grammar completely.

Quick Comparison

Word	Function	Basic meaning	Example
its	Possessive determiner	Belonging to it	The dog wagged its tail.
itself	Reflexive pronoun	It acting on or referring to it	The dog cleaned itself.
itself	Emphatic pronoun	Emphasis on it	The dog itself opened the door.
its self	Separate words	Its + the noun self	Rare and context-dependent

Itself vs. Its Self: Example Sentences

Examples make this distinction much easier to spot.

Correct Examples With Itself

The computer restarted itself.

The computer performed the action and experienced the result.

The cat washed itself.

The cat is both the subject and the object.

The company defended itself against the criticism.

The company performed the defensive action on behalf of the same entity.

The door opened itself.

The sentence presents the door as the thing involved in the action.

The problem won’t solve itself.

The problem is treated as the thing that would receive the result of the action.

Itself for Emphasis

Now consider a different structure:

The company itself announced the decision.

Here, itself isn’t receiving an action. Instead, it emphasizes the company.

The meaning is close to:

The company, rather than someone else, announced the decision.

This distinction is worth remembering because itself doesn’t always mean “it did something to itself.”

It can also mean “the thing in question specifically.”

Cambridge gives this emphatic function as a separate use of itself.

Incorrect Uses of “Its Self”

Consider:

The computer repaired its self.

For the normal reflexive meaning, this should be:

The computer repaired itself.

Another example:

The organization represented its self.

Better:

The organization represented itself.

And:

The machine turned its self off.

Correct:

The machine turned itself off.

The pattern is consistent. When self forms the reflexive pronoun referring back to it, write it as one word.

Why Is “Itself” Written as One Word?

English reflexive pronouns have developed into established forms ending in -self or -selves.

The pattern is easy to see:

Personal pronoun	Reflexive form
I	myself
you	yourself
he	himself
she	herself
it	itself
we	ourselves
they	themselves

The structure isn’t always perfectly predictable from modern English spelling, but these are established words.

Historically, itself comes from an older combination involving it and self. Modern English eventually standardized the form as the single word itself.

So although it + self may help you understand the construction, you shouldn’t normally reproduce that structure as its self.

It’s similar to knowing where a word came from without changing its modern spelling.

Common Uses of “Itself”

Understanding common expressions makes the correct form much easier to remember.

Itself After a Verb

When something acts on itself, itself can function as the object.

Examples:

The dog hurt itself.
The machine cleaned itself.
The program updated itself.
The organization restructured itself.
The system monitored itself.

The subject and object point to the same thing.

Itself After a Preposition

You can also use itself after a preposition.

For example:

The device protects itself from overheating.

Or:

The problem isn’t serious in itself.

The phrase in itself has a useful meaning. It generally means something considered separately or according to its own nature.

Oxford defines in itself as considering something separately from other things.

Itself With “By”

One of the most common expressions is by itself.

Depending on context, this can mean alone or without help.

Examples:

The child stayed by itself.

The machine operates by itself.

The door opened by itself.

Cambridge specifically identifies reflexive pronouns used with by to express the meaning “alone” or “without any help.”

Itself for Emphasis

You can place itself after a noun to emphasize that noun:

The book itself is excellent.

The idea itself isn’t new.

The building itself survived the storm.

The policy itself isn’t the problem.

In each case, itself adds focus rather than describing a reflexive action.

Common Mistakes With Itself

Small spelling mistakes often come from confusing related words.

Mistake: Writing “Its Self” as a Reflexive Pronoun

Incorrect:

The animal protected its self.

Correct:

The animal protected itself.

The correction is simple: remove the space and use the established reflexive pronoun.

Mistake: Confusing “Its” and “Itself”

Incorrect:

The company changed itself policy.

Correct:

The company changed its policy.

Why?

Because policy belongs to the company. You need the possessive determiner its.

Now compare:

The company defended itself.

Here, itself refers back to the company.

Mistake: Confusing “Its” and “It’s”

There’s another common trap.

Its means belonging to or associated with it.

It’s is a contraction of it is or it has.

Compare:

The dog wagged its tail.

It’s raining outside.

The company changed its website.

It’s been a difficult year.

A quick substitution test can help. If it is or it has fits the sentence, it’s may be correct. Otherwise, don’t add the apostrophe.

Collins and Dictionary.com both distinguish its from it’s in this way.

Itself in Formal and Informal Writing

Itself works perfectly well in both formal and informal English.

You can use it in:

Academic writing
Business writing
Emails
Everyday conversation
News writing
Technical documentation
Essays
Reports
Creative writing

For example, a technical manual might say:

The system will automatically restart itself after the update.

A casual speaker might say:

The TV turned itself off again.

The register changes, but the spelling doesn’t.

Itself remains one word in standard English.

Itself in Different Sentence Structures

The position of itself can tell you which function it serves.

Subject + Verb + Itself

This is a common reflexive structure:

The robot repaired itself.

Pattern:

Subject + verb + itself

The subject and object refer to the same thing.

Noun + Itself for Emphasis

This structure emphasizes a noun:

The robot itself performed the repair.

Here, itself means that the robot specifically performed the action.

By Itself

This structure can mean alone or without outside assistance:

The robot completed the task by itself.

The phrase doesn’t necessarily mean that the robot acted on its own physical body. Instead, it emphasizes independence.

Itself at the End of a Clause

You may also see itself near the end of a clause:

The device can restart itself.

This is reflexive.

Compare:

The device itself can restart automatically.

This is emphatic.

The two sentences look similar, but the grammatical role of itself changes.

Itself vs. Other Reflexive Pronouns

Once you understand itself, the broader reflexive-pronoun system becomes much easier.

Subject	Reflexive pronoun	Example
I	myself	I reminded myself.
You	yourself	You prepared yourself.
He	himself	He introduced himself.
She	herself	She taught herself.
It	itself	The machine fixed itself.
We	ourselves	We organized ourselves.
They	themselves	They introduced themselves.

The same basic rule applies throughout the system: the reflexive pronoun generally refers back to the relevant subject. Cambridge lists itself alongside the other standard reflexive forms.

This comparison also exposes why its self looks unusual. English doesn’t normally use separate words for the reflexive forms myself, yourself, himself, or itself.

How to Remember “Its” vs. “Itself”

A simple test can save you from most mistakes.

Use “Its” for Ownership

Ask:

Does something belong to or relate to it?

If yes, use its.

The company updated its website.

The website belongs to or is associated with the company.

Use “Itself” for Reflexive Meaning

Ask:

Is “it” doing something to itself?

If yes, use itself.

The company defended itself.

The company is both the doer and the receiver of the action.

Use “Itself” for Emphasis

Ask:

Am I emphasizing the thing rather than showing possession?

If yes, use itself.

The company itself approved the proposal.

The emphasis falls on the company.

A Simple Memory Trick

Think of the three forms this way:

Its = belongs to it

Itself = it referring back to itself

Its self = rare separate noun construction

That three-part distinction covers nearly every situation you’ll encounter in ordinary writing.

Case Study: “The Machine Fixed Its Self” vs. “The Machine Fixed Itself”

Consider this sentence:

The machine fixed its self.

At first, the sentence may look understandable. The intended meaning is probably that the machine repaired itself.

However, its self isn’t the standard reflexive form.

The better sentence is:

The machine fixed itself.

Now consider a different sentence:

The machine’s design was based on its own identity.

This expresses a completely different idea. If a writer wanted to discuss the machine’s “self” as a conceptual noun, a phrase involving its self might appear in highly specialized prose. Yet even then, clearer wording such as its own identity, its nature, or the machine itself will often communicate the idea more naturally.

This is why context matters. Grammar isn’t just about whether a sequence of words can theoretically occur. It’s also about whether that construction expresses the intended meaning clearly.

Quick Grammar Test: Its, Itself, or Its Self?

Choose the correct form in each sentence.

Example 1

The dog scratched ___ after running through the grass.

Answer: itself

The dog is both the subject and the receiver of the action.

Example 2

The company updated ___ website.

Answer: its

The website belongs to the company.

Example 3

The building ___ is over 100 years old.

Answer: itself

Here, itself emphasizes the building.

Example 4

The computer restarted ___ after the update.

Answer: itself

The computer restarted without another person directly performing the restart.

Example 5

The organization defended ___ against the allegations.

Answer: itself

The organization is the subject and object of the defensive action.

Answer Table

Sentence	Correct answer	Why
The dog scratched ___	itself	Reflexive action
The company updated ___ website	its	Possession
The building ___ is old	itself	Emphasis
The computer restarted ___	itself	Reflexive meaning
The organization defended ___	itself	Reflexive object

FAQs:

Is “its self” grammatically correct?

Its self can occur when self functions as a separate noun, but that construction is uncommon. It isn’t the standard reflexive form of it.

For ordinary writing, use itself when you mean the reflexive pronoun.

Is “itself” one word or two?

Itself is one word.

When it functions as the reflexive or emphatic pronoun, don’t separate it and self.

The dog washed itself.

Not:

The dog washed its self.

What is the difference between “its” and “itself”?

Its expresses possession or association.

The company changed its name.

Itself functions as a reflexive or emphatic pronoun.

The company defended itself.

The company itself announced the change.

Can “its self” ever be used?

Yes, but only in unusual constructions where self is being used independently as a noun. It shouldn’t be treated as an alternative spelling of itself.

In most everyday sentences, itself is the form you need.

Is “itself” a pronoun?

Yes. More specifically, itself is a reflexive pronoun and can also function as an emphatic pronoun.

Cambridge, Oxford, and Collins all recognize these uses.

Which is correct: “the machine itself” or “the machine its self”?

The standard form is:

The machine itself

Here, itself emphasizes the machine.

Is “itself” used only for objects?

No. Itself can refer to animals, things, situations, ideas, organizations, and other entities represented by it.

For example:

The company introduced itself.

The situation will resolve itself.

The idea itself is interesting.

The exact reference depends on the sentence and context.

Conclusion:

Itself is the correct and standard form when you need a reflexive pronoun. Its self is normally incorrect in ordinary writing unless self is being used separately as a noun. Knowing this simple distinction helps you choose the right word form and use itself confidently.