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Can I Write An Essay In The First Person?

Posted: March 3, 2025 | 2 min read

An essay is a form of homework that all students are already used to. Some people purchase essays online and some write them on their own. But the more we write, the more it seems to us that there is no more perfect text. But unfortunately, there are many mistakes that even the most experienced authors make. And it is using “I” in essays.

In this article, we’ll figure out what the first person in writing is, why it’s so critical to use it incorrectly, first-person essay examples, and in what cases it’s even desirable. But let’s start with the basics!

Formal vs Informal Writing

Historically, writing can be divided into two categories that are well-known to everyone, even to students who pay someone to write essays. These are informal and formal essay writing. Informal writing is the most widely known. It is the way we all speak. Transfer conversations to writing and you get an informal type. It often includes personal opinions, humor, and storytelling.

Example: The book is wild! It was a huge plot twist that I had never experienced before.

But the formal style is completely opposite. Formal writing is all about clarity, structure, and professionalism. It focuses on facts and avoids personal bias, slang, or buzzwords. According to the college essay guidelines, it is the writing that should be used in all academic papers, even literary analysis.

Example: The book is incredibly fascinating. It features a deep and unexpected plot twist.

Using First-Person Pronouns In Writing

So the question is, how can the first person be related to the formal writing style? That’s right, it can’t because it’s not recommended and considered a big mistake. Writing essay in “I”, “me”, “my”, “we”, and “our” can make the text more personal and interesting. These features mostly are not inherent in the academic style.

In college, the goal is to present ideas more objectively, so you’ll often be encouraged to avoid personal pronouns. Instead of the pronoun “I”, teachers insist on using the alternatives, namely “he”, “she”, “them”, and “their”. What is the big difference between the third vs first person?

The third person helps to create a more analytical essay tone and style. The use of the “he,” “she,” and “they” allows you to focus on arguments, evidence, and analysis rather than on your own feelings or subjective judgments. This approach contributes to a more professional and scientific presentation of the material.

Original example: I think that Leo Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina is about the complexity of human feelings and moral choices.

Rewritten example in the third person: In Leo Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina, the author describes the heroine’s internal conflict as “a struggle between duty and personal happiness”.

When To Use “I” According To Academic Writing Rules

If you still have doubts about which persona to use, you should start with the type of text. Still, there are situations where personal pronouns in essays aren’t just allowed, but it’s encouraged.

Firstly, it applies to personal narrative essays. If you’re writing about your own experiences, thoughts, or your story, which was lived only by you, using “I” is not only acceptable but necessary. In such essays, you can’t do otherwise.

Some opinion assignments specifically ask for your perspective. In subjects like philosophy or sociology, first person essay can help clarify that you’re presenting your analysis, not just summarizing research.

Finally, the scholarship essay format at schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford often requires a personal narrative about achievements and aspirations.

How To Avoid Personal Voice In Essays

Can I use “I” in an essay? – is a question to which we already know the answer. But what if I have already written a first-person perspective essay? There is a solution to this problem, and it is to correct the text. It’s the most obvious option, the most time-consuming, but very effective.

You just need to take a few steps:

Correct phrases like “I think,” “I feel,” and “I believe.” Instead of “I believe social media affects mental health,” write “Social media has a measurable impact on mental health.”
Use passive voice. Instead of “We analyzed the data,” try “The data was analyzed.”
Focus on the research or argument rather than the writer. Instead of “I found that the article lacks depth,” write “The article lacks depth in its analysis.”

If you’re still not sure if you’ve succeeded, you can contact a writing service. They receive requests not only to write my essay for me. People also come to them for simple editing and proofreading. They will definitely find your all “I”.

Conclusion

So, can you write an essay in the first person? The short answer: it depends. No matter who you ask, professor or scholarship essay writing service, the answers may vary. Because it all depends on whether you write narrative vs. academic essays.

If the text is tailored to your experience, emotions, and events, then you can’t do anything without the pronoun “I”. But if your paper is based on facts, structure, and scientific literature, then you have a hundred percent academic writing voice and have to use only the third person.