48 Reciprocal Pronouns

We distinguish Subject Pronouns depending on number (singular, plural) and gender (masculine, feminine, neutral). Subject Pronouns are used to avoid repetitions. {see Pronouns - Subject, A1 Level}

We use Reciprocal Pronouns when we have more than one subject as a part of a group of subjects acting in the same way to each other (reciprocally) at the same time.

The Reciprocal Pronouns are Each other and One other. They have the same purpose but are traditionally used slightly differently, as explained below:

Each other: Between two subjects.
One other: Between more than two subject.

Reciprocal Nouns cannot be used as subjects of a sentence.

• John and Tom were talking to each other while they were painting the house.
• The boys were kicking a ball to one another.

We need the Reciprocal Pronoun Each Other when we talk about two people doing the same thing at the same time.
We usually use:

• Each other: When we talk about two people doing the same thing at the same time reciprocally;
• One another: When we talk about more than two people doing the same thing at the same time.

This difference is disappearing nowadays and the use of the two Reciprocal Pronouns is going to be the same.

We distinguish Pronouns depending on the number (singular, plural) and gender (masculine, feminine, neutral) and we use them instead of subjects or objects to avoid repetition. We use Reciprocal Pronouns when we have more than one subject as a part of a group of subjects acting in the same way to each other (reciprocally), at the same time. The reciprocal pronouns are Each other and One another. We use “Each other” when there are two subjects and “One another” when there are more than two subjects.

For example:
— “Mary and Sally looked at each other in the eye.” = Two girls did the same thing at the same time.
— “Passengers were talking to one another.” = More than two people doing the same thing at the same time.

Let’s revise this content within the [Form] section. Take a look at the [Example] section which shows its use within a context.