It/Its Pronouns: Meaning, Grammar, and Respectful Usage

For example:

• “Robin said it will arrive soon.”
• “I gave the document to it.”
• “That is its desk.”
• “Robin completed the project itself.”

In ordinary English, it is often used for objects, animals of unknown sex, ideas, situations, or babies whose sex is not stated. Because of this history, using it for a person without permission can sound insulting or dehumanizing. The important distinction is whether the individual has personally chosen it/its pronouns.

• Subject: it
  It works here.
• Object: it
  I called it.
• Possessive adjective: its
  That is its office.
• Possessive pronoun: its
  The office is its.
• Reflexive: itself
  It introduced itself.

Unlike many pronoun sets, the subject and object forms are identical. The two possessive forms are also identical.

Context and sentence position show the grammatical function.

• It/its pronouns are listed in the profile.
• Its pronouns include it and itself.

When describing the practice as one concept, a singular verb may follow a gerund phrase:

• Using it/its pronouns is important to the speaker.

Common expressions include:

• use it/its pronouns;
• share it/its pronouns;
• list it/its pronouns;
• practice the it/its set;
• respect someone’s it/its pronouns;
• alternate between it/its and another set.

Natural introduction patterns include:

• “I use it/its pronouns.”
• “My pronouns are it/its.”
• “It and they are both acceptable for me.”
• “Please use it/its when referring to me.”

• It is ready.
• It has arrived.
• It does understand.
• It was invited.

Incorrect standard forms include:

• It are ready.
• It have arrived.
• It do understand.
• It were invited.

Compare with singular they:

• It is ready.
• They are ready.
• It has arrived.
• They have arrived.

The person remains singular in both cases, but the verb agreement follows the selected pronoun.

• That is its bag.
• The decision was its.
• I spoke to its supervisor.

It’s is normally a contraction of it is or it has:

• It’s ready. = It is ready.
• It’s completed the task. = It has completed the task.

Compare:

• Its phone is ringing.
• It’s answering the phone.

Confusing its and it’s is a common English spelling error, whether it refers to a person, object, animal, or situation.

• It introduced itself.
• It completed the work by itself.
• It reminded itself about the appointment.

The reflexive form is used when the subject and object refer to the same person:

• It saw itself in the photograph.

It may also add emphasis:

• It wrote the entire report itself.

A person may state a customized reflexive form, but itself is the standard form within the ordinary it/its set.

Objects

• The book is new. It is expensive.

Animals

• The bird injured its wing.

Some speakers use he, she, or they for animals whose sex or identity is known.

Situations and Ideas

• It is raining.
• I understand the problem, but it is complicated.

Personal Pronouns

When someone states that it/its is its personal pronoun set:

• Robin said it is ready.
• I spoke to it.
• That coat is its.

The grammatical forms are the same, but the personal use is based on the individual’s stated preference.

Calling a person it without permission has often been used to deny personhood, mock gender expression, or insult transgender, nonbinary, intersex, disabled, and other marginalized people. In such cases, the word can be dehumanizing.

By contrast, some individuals voluntarily reclaim or choose it/its pronouns. For them, the set may feel:

• gender-neutral;
• ungendered;
• nonhuman-related;
• detached from masculinity and femininity;
• personally expressive;
• comfortable without a specific explanation.

The respectful rule is simple: use it/its for someone who has requested it, but do not assign the set to another person.

• nonbinary people;
• agender people;
• genderfluid people;
• xenogender people;
• transgender people;
• people who do not use a gender label;
• people of other genders.

The set does not identify one particular gender.

Two people may both use it/its while understanding their genders very differently. Another person with the same gender identity may use she/her, he/him, they/them, neopronouns, or multiple sets.

Pronouns provide language instructions rather than a complete definition of gender.

• it/they;
• it/he;
• it/she;
• it/xe;
• it/its and they/them;
• any pronouns, including it/its.

A person may:

• accept both sets equally;
• prefer it/its more often;
• use another set in public;
• want people to alternate;
• use different sets in different contexts.

Helpful questions include:

• “Do you prefer it/its more often?”
• “Would you like me to alternate between the sets?”
• “Are it/its pronouns safe to use publicly?”
• “Which set should I use in formal writing?”

Respectful questions include:

• “Do you use it/its in every setting?”
• “Is itself your reflexive form?”
• “Should I alternate between it and they?”
• “May I use these pronouns around your family?”
• “Would you like me to use your name more often for clarity?”

Unhelpful responses include:

• “Are you calling yourself an object?”
• “Why would anyone use those pronouns?”
• “I refuse because it sounds strange.”
• “Those cannot be real pronouns.”

A person is not required to explain the emotional, gender-related, or symbolic reason for its pronoun choice.

Someone may use:

• it/its online;
• they/them at work;
• he/him or she/her with family;
• multiple sets among close friends.

Before using it/its publicly, confirm whether the pronouns are safe in that setting. Because the set is uncommon and sometimes stigmatized, public use may reveal that the person is gender-diverse or expose it to unwanted attention.

Respecting pronouns includes respecting where they may be used.

• biographies;
• profiles;
• interviews;
• community directories;
• articles;
• fictional writing;
• workplace or educational records.

A short introduction can prevent confusion:

• “Robin uses it/its pronouns.”

A paragraph might then say:

• “Robin joined the organization in 2025. It works in community education, and its research focuses on inclusive language.”

When multiple objects or people appear in the same passage, repeating the person’s name may improve clarity:

• “Robin reviewed the device before Robin submitted its report.”

Careful sentence construction can prevent readers from mistaking personal it for an object reference.

For a person named Avery:

• Avery said it is coming.
• I called it yesterday.
• That is its notebook.
• The notebook is its.
• Avery completed the project itself.

Practice should include:

• subject position;
• object position;
• possessive adjective;
• possessive pronoun;
• reflexive form;
• singular verb agreement;
• the difference between its and it’s.

Using the person’s name in some sentences can also improve clarity.

• “They—sorry, it—will attend.”
• “That is their—sorry, its—desk.”
• “Thanks for reminding me. It will attend.”

Helpful steps include:

1. correct the pronoun;
2. apologize briefly when appropriate;
3. continue the conversation;
4. practice the complete set privately;
5. respect contextual privacy.

Long apologies may place unnecessary pressure on the person to provide reassurance.

It is always acceptable to call someone “it.”
No. Use it/its for a person only when the person has chosen those pronouns.

It/its is grammatically impossible for a person.
No. The forms can function grammatically as personal pronouns when used consistently.

The possessive form is “it’s.”
No. Its is possessive; it’s means it is or it has.

Everyone using it/its has the same gender.
No. People of different genders may use the set.

Disclosing it/its pronouns makes them public everywhere.
No. Privacy and context still matter.

1. Robin uses it/its pronouns in personal and online communication.
2. The profile explains how it/its pronouns function grammatically.
3. Do it/its pronouns normally take singular verb agreement?
4. A person may use it/its pronouns together with they/them.
5. It/its pronouns should not be assigned to someone without permission.
6. The writer practiced it/its pronouns before preparing the biography.
7. Someone’s it/its pronouns do not reveal its complete gender identity.
8. Understanding it/its pronouns requires attention to consent, grammar, privacy, and context.

However, it/its pronouns do not represent one specific gender, and a person does not need to explain its identity in order for others to use the stated set. The same pronouns may have different meanings for different users.

Learning it/its pronouns helps readers understand singular agreement, possessive spelling, reflexive forms, and the distinction between chosen personal language and dehumanizing language imposed without consent.