Reciprocal pronouns
We use the reciprocal pronouns each other and one another when two or more people do the same thing.
- Peter and Mary helped each other.
- Peter helped Mary and Mary helped Peter.
- We sent one another Christmas cards.
- We sent them a Christmas card and they sent us a Christmas card.
- They didn't look at each other.
- X didn't look at Y and Y didn't look at X.
We also use the possessive forms each other's and one another's:
- They helped to look after each other's children.
- The group of students often stayed in one another's houses.
Note that we do not use reciprocal pronouns as the subject of a clause.
Reciprocal pronouns and plural reflexive pronouns
(ourselves, yourselves, themselves) have different meanings:
- John and Fred talk to each other regularly.
- John talks to Fred and Fred talks to John.
- John and Fred regularly talk to themselves.
- John talks to himself and Fred talks to himself.