Inclusive Pronouns in Persuasive Writing

What “inclusive pronouns” means

The phrase is used in two related ways, and both matter in persuasive writing.

1. Pronouns that include the reader. These are words such as we, us, our and ourselves, which place the writer and the audience on the same side. A sentence like “We all deserve clean water” invites the reader in.
2. Gender-inclusive pronouns. These avoid assuming a person’s gender, for example by using singular they when someone’s gender is unknown or irrelevant, or by using the pronouns a person says they use.

This guide focuses on the first meaning, then covers the second briefly.

Is “we” an inclusive pronoun?

Often, yes, but it depends on who “we” refers to. In English, “we” can mean:

• Inclusive we: the speaker plus the listener or reader. We need to protect our parks.
• Exclusive we: the speaker and others, but not the listener. We at the company are proud of this product.

English uses the same word for both, so the reader works out the meaning from context. Some other languages have separate forms. In persuasive writing, inclusive “we” is the usual tool for building a sense of shared purpose.

Why inclusive pronouns persuade

Pronouns shape the relationship between writer and reader. Compare:

• The town must improve its recycling. (distant, third-person)
• We must improve our recycling. (shared responsibility)

The second version casts the reader as a participant rather than an outsider, which can feel more collaborative and less like a lecture. Speechwriters and campaign writers often use this approach. It is not a guarantee of success, but it is a common rhetorical choice, and it works well with repetition, as in the repeated “we shall fight” of Churchill’s speech.

More examples:

• Advocacy: Together, we can make our neighborhood safer.
• Opinion piece: Our children deserve better schools.
• Fundraising appeal: Our donations helped us reach the goal, and with your help we can go further.

Using “you” directly

“You” addresses the reader personally. It can make an argument feel relevant:

• You deserve to know what is in your food.

Used sparingly, it speaks directly to the audience. Used heavily, it can sound pushy or accusatory (You never think about others). A good balance is to use “you” for benefits and “we” for shared responsibilities.

Should you use personal pronouns in persuasive writing?

It depends on the form and the audience.

• Speeches, op-eds, letters, advertisements and blog posts: personal pronouns are common and often encouraged.
• School essays and academic papers: rules vary. Some teachers and style guides discourage “I” or “you” in formal essays, while others accept them. Check your assignment guidelines.
• Safe middle ground: where first person is discouraged, rephrase around the topic (The evidence suggests…), or use “we” only in a collective sense if allowed.

There is no single pronoun that is banned everywhere. Questions like “What pronouns can you not use in an essay?” are really about the conventions of a particular teacher, field or style guide, so ask what applies to yours. Some of those conventions lean on impersonal constructions, which we cover in our guide to impersonal pronoun examples.

The 12 personal pronouns

A common list of English personal pronouns (subject and object forms) has twelve:

Counting each distinct word gives I, me, we, us, you, he, him, she, her, it, they, them: twelve. Sources count differently, because “you” and “it” serve as both subject and object and possessive forms (my, our, your, his, her, its, their) are often listed separately.

Gender-inclusive choices

When writing about people in general, you can avoid assuming gender:

• Instead of A voter should bring his ID, write Voters should bring their ID or A voter should bring their ID.
• Singular they is widely used and accepted by many major style guides, though some formal contexts still prefer rewording.
• When writing about a specific person, use the pronouns that person uses.

For persuasion, this has a practical benefit: readers are less likely to feel excluded or distracted by an assumption.

Pitfalls to avoid

• Presuming agreement. As we all know… can irritate readers who disagree. Make your case before claiming a shared view.
• Overusing “we”. Constant “we” can blur who is responsible. Be specific where needed.
• Mixing exclusive and inclusive we. If “we” first means your organization and then means all readers, the shift can confuse people.
• Shifting person. Moving between “we”, “you” and “people” in one paragraph can feel inconsistent, and pronoun slips of this kind turn up in identifying sentence errors exercises.

Before and after

Before: People should reduce plastic use. The planet needs help.

After: We can reduce our plastic use, and our choices add up. The planet we share needs our help.

The revision adds a shared stake but keeps the claim modest. Quantifiers also help you hedge, as in “many of us” or “some of our habits”; see our examples of indefinite adjectives.

Summary

Inclusive pronouns, especially inclusive “we”, “us” and “our”, pull the reader into the writer’s argument and are a standard persuasive device. Pair them with a direct “you” in moderation, follow the conventions of your assignment, avoid presuming agreement, and choose gender-inclusive wording when you are talking about people in general.