# Limit first-person pronouns (EK00047)

import { Aside, Badge } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

Rephrasing first-person pronouns around the reader or the product keeps documentation objective and puts the reader's task at the center. EkLine flags first-person pronouns and encourages you to rewrite them (rule EK00047).

## Why avoid first-person pronouns in documentation?

Documentation speaks for a product, not for an individual. First-person phrasing like "I recommend" ties advice to an unnamed author and reads as opinion rather than guidance. Rewriting around the reader — "Enable this" — makes the instruction direct and authoritative. Objective phrasing also travels better across teams, where the original author may be unknown.

## What EkLine flags

EK00047 detects first-person pronouns such as `I`, `me`, `my`, `mine`, `I'm`, `I'll`, and `I've`.

- ❌ **Incorrect:** In my experience, the CLI is fast.
- ✅ **Correct:** The CLI is fast.
- ❌ **Incorrect:** I recommend enabling this.
- ✅ **Correct:** Enable this.

## How to fix

Rephrase around the reader or the product. Turn "I recommend enabling this" into the direct instruction "Enable this", and drop opener phrases like "In my experience".

<Aside type="note">
First-person phrasing can be valid in a quotation, a testimonial, or a signed note. In those cases, keep the pronoun and ignore the rule for that line.
</Aside>

## FAQ

### Why avoid "I" and "my" in documentation?

Documentation speaks for a product, not an individual. First-person phrasing ties advice to an unnamed author and reads as opinion rather than guidance.

### How do you rewrite a first-person sentence?

Rephrase around the reader or the product — "I recommend enabling this" becomes the direct instruction "Enable this", and drop openers like "In my experience".

## Rule details

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Rule ID | `EK00047` |
| Category | Tone and voice |
| Default severity | <Badge text="Warning" variant="caution" /> |
| Enabled by default | Yes |

## Ignore this rule

To keep a first-person pronoun on one line, add an inline comment with a reason:

```markdown
<!-- ekline-ignore-next-line EK00047 -- direct customer quotation -->
"I switched our whole team to EkLine." - Priya S.
```

To disable the rule across your project, add it to the `ignore` list in your [configuration file](/reviewer/configuration/ignoring-rules/#ignore).

## Related rules

- [EK00031](/reviewer/rules/active-voice/) — Prefer active voice over passive voice
- [EK00057](/reviewer/rules/direct-action-statements/) — Write direct action statements