Never use “I” in essays.
Never start a sentence with “because.”
Paragraphs must have at least five sentences.
Never start a sentence with “and,” “but,” or “so.”
“Were you taught these rules in school, as I was? If so, it might surprise you that many teachers no longer enforce them or even support them. Let’s look at one of these rules, “Never use I,” to see why the consensus is changing.
Using “I” can eliminate the passive voice. Without “I,” you might need to use the passive voice (another no-no) as in “The essay was written by this writer.” Isn’t “I wrote the essay” clearer?
Using “I” can shorten your writing. Concise writing is usually clearer and preferred.
Using “I” can eliminate awkward referrals to yourself. I have read interviews by a Pulitzer Prize winning biographer who refers to himself in his books not as “I” but as “this interviewer” or “this writer.” He seems to go out of his way not to use “I.” He is trying to make himself inconspicuous in the text. Wouldn’t the word “I” do that better than “this interviewer”?
Using “I” can give your writing the authority of a witness, of a primary source. If you are part of a group you are writing about, then you should be up-front about that. Not using “I” can seem disingenuous. And if you were there to see and hear what happened, doesn’t that make your writing more believable?
However, writing “I think” is rarely justified. If you are the writer, then obviously the thoughts are yours. Since “I think” can sometimes mean “I am not absolutely sure,” using “I think” can undermine the strength of your writing. This is especially true if you add “I think” after making a statement. “Yes, officer, I saw the red car rear end the blue car. I think.”
Some teachers or editors follow the old rules religiously, so students should ask about using “I” before composing. Or when appropriate, check a style book. Use an up-to-date one though. The rules of English, like all languages in use, change.
English Writing Teacher 