Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns—such as myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves—play an essential role in English grammar. They indicate that the subject and object of a verb are the same, add emphasis to a sentence, or appear in fixed expressions. This guide covers their formation, usage, and common mistakes.

1. What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing. They are formed by adding “-self” (for singular) or “-selves” (for plural) to the appropriate personal pronoun.

I → Myself

You → Yourself

He → Himself

She → Herself

It → Itself

We → Ourselves

You → Yourselves

They → Themselves

2. When to Use Reflexive Pronouns

A. When the Subject and Object Are the Same

Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject of the verb is also its object.

Examples:

  • Myself: I hurt myself.
  • Yourself: You should treat yourself with kindness.
  • Himself: He teaches himself French.
  • Herself: She is preparing herself for the meeting.
  • Itself: The cat grooms itself.
  • Ourselves: We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
  • Yourselves: You should remind yourselves of the deadline.
  • Themselves: They blame themselves for the mistake.

B. For Emphasis

Reflexive pronouns can emphasize that the subject performed an action independently.

Examples:

  1. She herself solved the puzzle.
  2. He himself took care of the problem.
  3. We ourselves built the entire house.
  4. I myself completed the project on time.
  5. She herself prepared the entire meal.
  6. He himself taught the class without any help.
  7. We ourselves repaired the car after the breakdown.
  8. You yourself managed the team effectively.
  9. They themselves organized the event from start to finish.
  10. The dog itself found its way home.

C. In Fixed Expressions

Reflexive pronouns appear in many common phrases.

Examples:

  1. By yourself: Can you complete this by yourself?
  2. Look at yourself: Look at yourself in the mirror!
  3. Teach yourself: You can teach yourself a new skill online.
  4. Express yourself: Art is a great way to express yourself.
  5. Fix it yourself: Try to fix it yourself before calling a mechanic.
  6. Remind yourself: Always remind yourself of your goals.
  7. Challenge yourself: It’s important to challenge yourself to grow.
  8. Read to yourself: You can read to yourself when practicing a speech.
  9. Motivate yourself: Find ways to motivate yourself to keep moving forward.
  10. Write about yourself: In this essay, write about yourself and your experiences.

3. Reflexive Pronouns vs. “Each Other”

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object are the same entity (e.g., “I hurt myself”). In contrast, “each other” is used when two or more people interact (e.g., “We helped each other”).

Examples Using “Each Other”:

  1. They helped each other with their homework.
  2. We gave gifts to each other.
  3. They wrote letters to each other.
  4. We called each other to plan the trip.
  5. The students discussed the topic with each other.
  6. They congratulated each other on their success.
  7. The artists inspired each other to create better work.
  8. The runners encouraged each other to keep going.
  9. They helped each other carry the groceries.
  10. The teammates shared notes with each other.

4. Common Mistakes with Reflexive Pronouns

A. Overusing Reflexive Pronouns

Some verbs that are reflexive in other languages are not reflexive in English. Avoid using a reflexive pronoun when it isn’t needed.

  • Incorrect: She dressed herself quickly.
  • Correct: She dressed quickly.
  • Incorrect: He washed himself before dinner.
  • Correct: He washed before dinner.
  • Incorrect: We painted ourselves yesterday.
  • Correct: We painted yesterday.
  • Incorrect: I put on clothes myself.
  • Correct: I put on clothes.
  • Incorrect: They walked themselves to school.
  • Correct: They walked to school.
  • Incorrect: He tied his shoes himself.
  • Correct: He tied his shoes.
  • Incorrect: She read herself a story.
  • Correct: She read a story.
  • Incorrect: I went to bed myself.
  • Correct: I went to bed.
  • Incorrect: He ran himself to the park.
  • Correct: He ran to the park.
  • Incorrect: We emailed ourselves the document.
  • Correct: We emailed the document.

B. Common Verbs That Are Not Reflexive in English

  • Dress (e.g., “She dressed quickly.”)
  • Wash (e.g., “I washed before dinner.”)
  • Bathe (e.g., “He bathed and went to bed.”)
  • Sit (e.g., “We sat down to eat.”)
  • Relax (e.g., “They relaxed after work.”)

Exercises: Reflexive pronouns

Exercise 1 – Choose the correct reflexive pronoun

1. I cut ___ while cooking.

2. She taught ___ to play guitar.

3. They blamed ___ for the mistake.

4. You should ask ___ why you are late.

5. The cat cleaned ___ after eating.

Exercise 2 – Use the correct reflexive pronoun

1. We phone ___ every weekend.

2. He made ___ a sandwich.

3. The children looked at ___ and laughed.

4. She bought ___ a new dress.

5. You and your sister should help ___ with homework.

Exercise 3 – Fill the gap with the right answer

1. We enjoyed ___ at the party.

2. Did you hurt ___?

3. The robots can fix ___.

4. My brother and I taught ___ to swim.

5. The dog can open the door by ___.

Exercise 4 – Choose the right option

1. Please behave ___ in class.

2. The twins hugged ___.

3. He prides ___ on his cooking.

4. I wrote a note to ___.

5. The computer shut down by ___.

Exercise 5 – Pick the right answer

1. We looked at ___ in the mirror.

2. Everyone must take care of ___.

3. Did the children make lunch by ___?

4. She and her friend called ___ after the exam.

5. He drew this picture ___.

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