Do not use first-person pronouns

Do not use first-person pronouns ("I," "me," "my," "we," "us," etc.).

Using these expressions in analytical and persuasive essays can make the writing wordy, can make the writer seem less confident of his or her ideas, and can give the essay an informal tone. Use of first-person pronouns is unnecessary in the kinds of essays you are writing for the course. Readers will know that they are reading your thoughts, beliefs, or opinions, so you do not need to state, "I think that," "I believe that," or "in my opinion."

Simply delete these expressions from sentences, and you will be left with stronger sentences.

Example
I think that this character is confused.
This character is confused.
(The second sentence is less wordy, sounds more formal, and conveys a more confident tone.)

"One," "the reader," "readers," "the viewer," or something similar sometimes can be used effectively in place of first-person pronouns in formal papers, but be careful not to overuse these expressions. You want to sound formal, not awkward and stiff.

Example
I can sense the character's confusion.
Readers can sense the character's confusion.

Sourced Content Page Location: https://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/tip_formal_writing_voice.htm

Copyright by Randy Rambo, 2018.

First Person: It's All About Me

When writing in the first person, I talk about myself, what I did, or if with others, what we did and how it affected us. Writing in the first person can make an account seem more personal. If it is a piece of fiction, the narrator tells the story as they saw it. In non-fiction, such as a CV or report, it is a factual account of what the writer has done, in their own words. [You will not use 1^st person voice in academic writing.]

When writing in the first person, we must consider whether we use the singular or plural form:

1st Person Pronouns

Pronoun	Person
I	First person singular
we	First person plural
us	First person plural *

* "us" used in the first person is often informal / colloquial, but not always.

Works Cited

Preen, Katy. “Make It Personal: Writing in 1st, 2nd & 3rd Person Formats.” Owlcation,

Owlcation, 11 May 2017, owlcation.com/humanities/Make-It-Personal-writing-

in-1st-2nd-3rd-person-formats.

Watch It!

Formal vs Informal Writing: 

What's the Difference and When to Use Them from EzineArticles 

Reposted by J. Dick

This is not my content.  This is posted as an option for students to have easy access to concepts through my classroom.  

If you use the content above, be certain to credit Randy Rambo for his intellectual creation at the very top, and Katy Preen for her "Its all about me" information.  

Finally, credit this site and link for its reposting of the material.