Each Other vs Themselves

Each other and themselves describe different relationships between people. Use each other when two or more people do something mutually: person A acts towards person B, and person B acts towards person A. Use themselves or ourselves when each person does the action to their own self. These sentences ask you to choose between those two meanings in full sentences.

Compare The friends hugged each other with The students introduced themselves. In the first sentence, each friend hugs the other person. In the second, each student says their own name to the teacher. The sentences include verbs such as phone, help, look at, congratulate, contradict, prepare, serve, and dry. The verb alone is not enough; the context tells you whether the action is mutual or self-directed. This distinction changes the meaning of the whole sentence, especially with plural subjects. Draw a quick mental arrow: across the group means each other; back to each person means themselves.