ELISA ENGLISH's Blog 英語園地

The difference between in itself and itself.

In itself = In and of itself

Means: intrinsically, considered alone. 本質上, 單獨就…而言

For example:

Love in itself is always a mystery, mixed with happiness and misery. 

The story in itself is not fantastic.  It is the accompanying illustration that makes it interesting.
=> In and of itself, the story is not fantastic.  What’s interesting is the illustration that accompanies it.

=> The story is not fantastic in itself.  The accompanying illustration is what makes it interesting.
=> Considering the story alone, it is not fantastic.  The illustration is the interesting part.

Itself

Used to emphasize the appositive of it, which, that, this, or a noun.

用以強調同位格它，那，這

For example:

The issue lies in the code itself. 

關鍵在(電腦的) 指令本身

** 版權所有 - Elisa

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/in%20and%20of%20itself

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/itself