Reciprocal Pronouns: Each Other & One Another
A2 · ElementaryPronounsEach other and one another show that people are doing the same thing back to each other — not just to themselves.
What you'll learn
- What each other and one another mean, and how they show mutual action between people
- Why each other and one another are interchangeable in modern English, no matter how many people are involved
- How to form the possessive: each other's and one another's
- How reciprocal pronouns differ from reflexive pronouns like themselves
The core idea
Each other and one another are reciprocal pronouns. They show that two or more people are doing the same thing to each other at the same time — the action goes back and forth between them, not just outward from one person.
Compare: "They helped each other move the couch" means each person helped the other person — the action was mutual, going both directions.
Each other and one another
Each other and one another both express this same mutual, back-and-forth idea, and they behave the same way in a sentence: "The neighbors greet each other every morning." "The neighbors greet one another every morning." Both sentences mean exactly the same thing.
They can follow a verb directly (know each other), or follow a preposition (talk to one another, work with each other, care about one another).
Real English: the "two vs. three or more" rule is outdated
You may have read that each other is only for exactly two people, and one another is only for three or more. That rule shows up in some older textbooks and dictionaries, but it does not reflect how English is actually used today.
In real, modern English, each other and one another are used interchangeably no matter how many people are involved: "The two roommates split the bills with each other" and "The five roommates split the bills with each other" are both completely natural — and swapping in one another in either sentence works just as well.
Don't waste time counting people before choosing a word. Pick whichever one sounds natural to you — both are correct.
The possessive form: each other's / one another's
Add an apostrophe + s to make the possessive form: each other's, one another's. "The students borrowed each other's notes before the exam." "The teams respect one another's effort."
A common spelling slip is putting the apostrophe in the wrong place, like "each others'" — but other stays singular here, so the apostrophe goes right before the final s: each other's, never each others'.
Each other vs. themselves: two people, not one
Don't confuse a reciprocal pronoun with a reflexive one. "They hurt each other" means two (or more) different people hurt one another — the action passes between them. "They hurt themselves" means each person hurt only their own self — the action never left that person.
If you're describing something people do back and forth between each other, reach for each other or one another. If the action stays with the same person who did it, you need a reflexive pronoun like themselves instead — a topic covered in its own lesson.
Real English
Watch out
The idea that each other is only for two people and one another only for three or more is an outdated myth — modern English treats them as interchangeable no matter how many people are involved.
Other stays singular in this phrase, so the apostrophe goes right before the final s — each other's, never each others'.
Other never takes an -s in this phrase — it's each other, not each others, no matter how many people are involved.
Themselves means each person blames only their own self; if the blame is going back and forth between the roommates, you need the reciprocal pronoun each other instead.
Real life — planning a group gift
"Should we all chip in for Maria's going-away gift?"
"Good idea. Let's text each other how much everyone can give."
"I'll message the group. We can also ask one another for gift ideas — she'd love something practical."
"Perfect. Let's check in with each other by Friday so we can order it in time."
Practice
Exercise 1 · Notice the mutual action
Which sentence shows two people doing the same action back and forth between them (mutual action)?
Exercise 2 · Notice the reciprocal pronoun
Which sentence uses a reciprocal pronoun to show mutual action between two different people?
Exercise 3 · Choose the correct sentence
Which is correct?
Exercise 4 · Choose the correct form
Which is correct?
Exercise 5 · Choose the correct sentence
Which is correct?
Exercise 6 · Choose the correct pronoun
Which is correct?
Exercise 7 · Sort into groups
0 / 6 sorted
Exercise 8 · Build the sentence
Exercise 9 · Build the sentence
Exercise 10 · Complete the sentence
Complete the sentence with the correct reciprocal pronoun: The volunteers thanked ___ for their hard work at the shelter. (two words)
Exercise 11 · Complete the sentence
Complete: The two chefs never argue with ___ in the kitchen, even during the busiest shifts. (two words)
Exercise 12 · Complete the sentence
Complete with the correct reciprocal pronoun: The pen pals have written to ___ for three years now. (two words)
Exercise 13 · Fix the mistake
Fix the mistake and type the corrected sentence: "The two teams congratulated theirselves after the game."
Exercise 14 · Fix the mistake
Fix the mistake and type the corrected sentence: "We need to trust each others' judgment on this project."
Exercise 15 · Real-life scenario
Real-life scenario: Two coworkers are preparing for a client meeting tomorrow and plan to look over each other's work first. Complete the sentence: They agreed to check ___ slides before the meeting. (two words, possessive form)
Exercise 16 · Real-life scenario
A study group of five students exchanges notes every week. Which sentence correctly describes modern English usage here?
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what's sticking about each other and one another.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
A group of five colleagues meet every Friday to review each other's work. Which sentence best describes modern English usage here?
You learned
- Each other and one another are reciprocal pronouns: they show mutual action passing back and forth between two or more people.
- In modern English, each other and one another are interchangeable — the old rule that each other is only for two people and one another only for three or more is a myth, not a real grammar constraint.
- The possessive forms are each other's and one another's — other stays singular, so the apostrophe goes right before the final s.
- Each other/one another can follow a verb directly or follow a preposition: know each other, talk to one another, work with each other.
- Don't confuse a reciprocal pronoun with a reflexive one: each other means the action passes between different people; themselves means it stays with the same person.
Related grammar lessons
Interrogative Pronouns
Learn who, whose, what, and which — the question words you use to ask about a person, an owner, a thing, or a choice — plus a brief, optional note on the more formal "whom."
Demonstrative Pronouns
Learn how to use this, that, these, and those as pronouns that stand on their own — near vs far, singular vs plural — plus the common mistakes to avoid.
Reflexive Pronouns
Learn the eight English reflexive pronouns — myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves — how to use them for reflexive meaning and emphasis, and the overcorrection mistake to avoid.
Indefinite Pronouns
Learn someone, anyone, no one, everyone and something, anything, nothing, everything — how they take a singular verb, and why English never doubles the negative.