What are reflexive pronouns?


Reflexive pronouns are used when the object is the same as the subject. For example, in the sentence "he hurt himself", he and himself refer to the same person.
Reflexive pronouns are also used for emphasis. In this case, they are referred to as intensive pronouns. For example, in the sentence "I spoke to the president himself", the speaker emphasizes that he spoke to the president personally NOT somebody else.

"I always do my homework myself. Nobody helps me."
"He never does his homework himself. The teacher always helps him."
In the above examples, the reflexive/intensive pronouns can be removed without changing the meaning.

List of reflexive pronouns

Subject PronounsReflexive Pronouns
Imyself
youyourself
hehimself
sheherself
ititself
weourselves
youyourselves
theythemselves

Uses of reflexive pronouns

1. Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object refer to the same thing:
  • He blames himself for what happened.
  • You might cut yourself.
  • We will enjoy ourselves in the party.
2. Reflexive pronouns may be used as the object of a preposition:
  • He made a cup of coffee for himself.
  • He was talking to himself.
  • She did the job by herself.
Every morning...
I look at myself in the mirror.
3. Reflexive pronouns are also used for emphasis. In this case they are called intensive pronouns. Intensive pronouns can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence.
  • I met the king himself.
  • The president himself announced the news.
  • He sent the letter himself

Review:

Personal pronounsPossessive adjectivesPossessive pronounsReflexive pronounsObject pronouns
Imyminemyselfme
youyouryoursyourselfyou
hehishishimselfhim
sheherhersherselfher
ititsitsitselfit
weouroursourselvesus
youyouryoursyourselvesyou
theytheirtheirsthemselvesthem

Grammar Exercise - Reflexive Pronouns

Find the right reflexive pronoun:

Personal PronounPossessive Pronoun
1.
I
myself
2.
you
yourself
3.
he
himself
4.
she
herself
5.
it
itself
6.
we
ourselves
7.
you
yourselves
8.
they
themselves

Choose the correct reflexive pronouns:

myself - yourself - himself - herself - itself - ourselves - yourselves - themselves
  1. Alan made this dish himself.
  2. Laura sent the email herself .
  3. We shall not quarrel easily among ourselves, and forget our common objective
  4. Sara, did you write this poem yourself ?
  5. I called her myself .
  6. He cut himself with the knife while he was sharpening it.
  7. My computer often crashes and turns off by itself .
  8. She often talks to herself when she is upset.
  9. John and Alan, I am not going to do the homework for you. You have to do it yourselves .
  10. The students were so noisy. Even Nancy and Leila were making a lot of noise themselves .
  11. Did the children behave themselves ?
  12. I caught sight of myself in the mirror.

Exercises: Reflexive Pronouns 2

Choose the correct reflexive pronouns:

myself - yourself - himself - herself - itself - ourselves - yourselves - themselves
  1. Don't worry! He can do it himselfTrue .
  2. Don't be so selfish! You think only about yourselfTrue.
  3. Please, John, make yourselfTrue feel at home.
  4. She hurt herselfTrue while doing the housework.
  5. I told him about the sad news myselfTrue.
  6. Good news! The horse came back home by itselfTrue.
  7. Did the two of you do this job by yourselvesTrue?
  8. Do we live for ourselvesTrue or for our loved ones?
  9. The children can look after themselvesTrue.
  10. Leila, please, help yourselfTrue to the cookies!

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