in itself – English Grammar Profiler
Reflexive pronouns, also known as reflexive forms, are pronouns that are used to refer back to the subject of a sentence. They are formed by adding “-self” (singular) or “-selves” (plural) to certain personal pronouns. Reflexive pronouns emphasize that the subject of the sentence is also the object of the action.
For example, the reflexive pronouns in English include “myself,” “yourself,” “himself,” “herself,” “itself,” “ourselves,” “yourselves,” and “themselves.”
The fixed expression “in itself” is used as an intensifier to emphasize the inherent qualities or characteristics of something. It suggests that the thing being described has value, significance, or impact on its own, without external factors or influences.
In the English Grammar Profile, B2 point 74 in the category of PRONOUNS/reflexive is defined as:
the fixed expression ‘in itself’ as an intensifier.
An iWeb corpus investigation for collocations 4 spaces to the left and right and the B1 vocabulary that collocates with this is in red:
1 END 3908
2 ART 1437
CHALLENGE
4 INTERESTING 979
5 ACHIEVEMENT 859
She considered graduating from college as an impressive achievement in itself,
and she was proud of herself for accomplishing such a significant milestone.
The sentence highlights the accomplishment of graduating from college, emphasizing its inherent value and significance. The reflexive pronoun “herself” emphasizes that the subject (she) is also the one who achieved the accomplishment. The fixed expression “in itself” intensifies the notion of the achievement, emphasizing its independent worth.
6 SUFFICIENT 832 7 FEAT 830 9267
8 DESTINATION 680
9 ADVENTURE 615 10 TASK 576 11 MEAL 568
12 VALUABLE 395
13 IMPRESSIVE 394
14 REWARD 388
15 MIRACLE 387 16 ACCOMPLISHMENT 17 REMARKABLE 359 18 EVIL 351
19 SKILL 329
20 ATTRACTION 327 21 NECESSARILY 323 22 UNUSUAL 278 23 CONSTITUTE 271 24 PROOF 263 5795 25 FASCINATING 224 26 REWARDING 213 27 WORTHY 198 28 FULL-TIME 192 29 SIN 178 3657
30 SURPRISING 164
31 ENTITY 154 32 PROBLEMATIC 146 33 DESIRABLE 138 34 CONSTITUTES 136 35 SPEAKS 135 36 INDICATION 133 37 BLESSING 122
38 STRESSFUL 113
39 WORTHWHILE 112 40 HARMFUL 109 41 SINFUL 108 42 OFFENCE 106 43 VIRTUE 104 44 JUSTIFY 93 45 HARMLESS 90 46 CONTRADICTION 89
47 PROVES 88
48 UNDERTAKING 85 49 DAUNTING 83 50 MASTERPIECE 81 51 HONOUR 81 52 SPECTACLE 79 53 SUSPICIOUS 78 54 RACIST 75 55 INSUFFICIENT 74 56 IMPLIES 74 57 JUSTIFICATION 71 58 CHORE 70
59 SHOCKING 70
60 SATISFYING 69 61 MORALLY 67 62 UNLAWFUL 66 63 SYMPTOM 64 64 WORRYING 63 65 RARITY 60 66 SUFFICE 58 67 IMPLY 53 8705 68 RISKY 52 1088 69 MILESTONE 51 70 INTRIGUING 51 71 INDICATIVE 50 72 NOTEWORTHY 49 73 MEANINGLESS 49 74 HUGELY 49 75 LAWFUL 47 76 ASTONISHING 47 77 QUESTIONABLE 47 78 DETERRENT 45 79 UNJUST 45 80 CONTRADICTORY 45 81 ABSURD 45 82 ADMIRABLE 44 83 INHERENTLY 43 84 TRAUMATIC 43 85 TERRIFYING 41 86 FLAWED 40 87 PLEASURABLE 39
88 AMUSING 39