Choosing Alternate Pronouns
Use a specific noun instead of “you.” Sometimes, the word “you” is used as a stand-in for a proper noun or a noun in a sentence. While this usually sounds fine in informal writing or speech, it can be confusing in a formal paper, especially when you're describing a specific situation that may not pertain to the reader. Try being specific in your sentence instead of using “you.” For example, “In the summer, you often have to stand in line to get to the pool.” Try saying, “In the summer, customers often have to stand in line to get to the pool.” Or, “In many areas, you have people who are unhappy with local government.” Try, “In many areas, citizens are unhappy with local government.”
Replace “you” with “people” for generalizations. If you’re trying to make a generalized statement, you can replace the word “you” with “people” or “persons.” This is especially helpful for sentences about research or expert studies, and it doesn't address the reader directly. For example, take the sentence, “You may already know that there is plastic in the ocean.” Change that sentence to, “Most people already know that there is plastic in the ocean.” Or, “You might think that bees don’t play a large role in the ecosystem.” Try, “Many people don’t know that bees play a large role in the ecosystem.”
Try using “one” instead of “you.” The word “you” can often be directly replaced with “one.” This is great for formal, academic papers, since the word “one” is not usually used in spoken language, and it doesn't address the audience of your writing. For example: ”You may think that this is impossible.” Change that to, “One may think that this is impossible.” Or, “You could say that the idea is unlikely.” Try, “One could say that the idea is unlikely.”
Use “someone” or “somebody” for hypotheticals. Another direct replacement for “you” can be “someone” or “somebody.” These words are great for addressing hypothetical arguments against your topic, so you can use them to explain what an opposing view might be. For example: ”You may feel compelled to argue that the research is flawed.” Try, “Someone may feel compelled to argue that the research is flawed.” Or, “You could say that the timeline is too short.” Try, “Somebody could say that the timeline is too short.”
Add in “the reader” or “the viewer” to address the audience. There may be moments in your writing that you actually do want to talk to your reader directly. Using “you” is a little too informal, so you can replace it with “the reader” or “the viewer,” instead. For example, “Now, you may be confused as to why these methods were chosen.” Try, “The reader may be confused as to why these methods were chosen.” Use “the reader” and “the viewer” sparingly, as they can be a little jarring in academic text.
Avoiding Second-Person Pronouns
Remove unnecessary second-person pronouns. Sometimes, you can simply take out the word “you” from the sentence to avoid addressing the reader at all. This is the simplest way to fix your sentence and tighten up your writing. You may need to revise a few words near the beginning of the sentence to adjust for flow. For example, “You should set up the lab equipment to begin.” Take out the “you” to make: “Set up the lab equipment to begin.” Or, “However, you can read the essay before coming to any conclusions.” Try, “Read the essay before coming to any conclusions.”
Rearrange the sentence to avoid a second-person pronoun. You may be able to get your message across while changing up the sentence to avoid an unnecessary second-person pronoun. Try formatting your sentence around the action rather than the reader. Every sentence is different, so some formats may work better than others. For example: “After reading this paper, you’ll know much more about the history of Europe.” Try, “This paper will explain the history of Europe.” Or, “You may be interested in learning more about topographical maps.” Try, “Keep reading to learn more about topographical maps.”
Reframe the sentence to sound like a fact, not advice. Using second-person pronouns in a sentence can often sound like you’re giving the reader advice instead of telling them a fact. To tighten up your writing and sound more authoritative, present your evidence as factual. For example, “When you don’t wear a seatbelt, you’re more likely to get seriously injured in an accident.” Reframe the sentence to say, “People who don’t wear a seatbelt are more likely to get seriously injured in an accident.” Or, “If you don’t stretch before working out, you could pull a muscle.” Try, “Working out without stretching can lead to pulled muscles.”
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