Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns, like myself, yourself, and themselves, play an essential role in English grammar. They are used to indicate that the subject and object of a verb are the same, add emphasis to a sentence, or appear in fixed expressions. This lesson covers their formation, usage, and common mistakes.

1. What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

💡 Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same person or thing. They end in “-self” (singular) or “-selves” (plural).

2. When to Use Reflexive Pronouns

A. When the Subject and Object Are the Same

💡 The subject performs an action on itself.

Examples:

• 👤 Me → Myself:
• I hurt myself.
• 🫵 You → Yourself:
• You should treat yourself with kindness.
• 👨 Him → Himself:
• He teaches himself French.
• 👩 Her → Herself:
• She’s preparing herself for the meeting.
• 🐾 It → Itself:
• The cat grooms itself.
• 👫 Us → Ourselves:
• We enjoy ourselves at the party.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 You → Yourselves:
• You should remind yourselves of the deadline.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Them → Themselves:
• They blame themselves for the mistake.

• • B. For Emphasis

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

• Examples: 

• 👩 She herself solved the puzzle.
• 👨 He himself took care of the problem.
• 👫 We ourselves built the entire house.
• 👨‍🎓 I myself completed the project on time.
• 👩‍🍳 She herself prepared the entire meal.
• 👨‍🏫 He himself taught the class without any help.
• 👩‍🔧 We ourselves repaired the car after the breakdown.
• 👨‍💼 You yourself managed the team effectively.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 They themselves organized the event from start to finish.
• 🐶 The dog itself found its way home.

C. In Fixed Expressions

💡 Reflexive pronouns are part of many common phrases.

• Examples:

• 🏃 By yourself:
  Can you complete this by yourself?
• 🪞 Look at yourself:
  Look at yourself in the mirror!
• 📚 Teach yourself:
  You can teach yourself a new skill online.
• 🎨 Express yourself:
  Art is a great way to express yourself.
• 🛠️ Fix it yourself:
  Why not try to fix it yourself before calling a mechanic?
• 💭 Remind yourself:
  Always remind yourself of your goals.
• 💼 Challenge yourself:
  It’s important to challenge yourself to grow.
• 📖 Read to yourself:
  You can read to yourself when practicing a speech.
• 💡 Motivate yourself:
  Find ways to motivate yourself to keep moving forward.
• ✍️ Write about yourself:
  In this essay, write about yourself and your experiences.

3. Reflexive Pronouns vs. “Each Other”

💡 Reflexive Pronouns: Used when the subject and object are the same.
Example: I hurt myself while cooking.
💡 Each Other: Used when two or more people interact.
Example: We helped each other with homework.

• Examples Using “Each Other”:

• 🤝 They helped each other with their homework.
• 🎁 We gave gifts to each other.
• 💌 They wrote letters to each other.
• 📞 We called each other to plan the trip.
• 👥 The students discussed the topic with each other.
• 🎉 They congratulated each other on their success.
• 🎨 The artists inspired each other to create better work.
• 🏃 The runners encouraged each other to keep going.
• 🛒 They helped each other carry the groceries.
• 📚 The teammates shared notes with each other.
• 📷 The photographers shared tips with each other about lighting.
• 🎵 The singers taught each other new songs.
• 🛠️ The workers supported each other during the project.
• 🍲 The chefs tasted each other’s dishes for feedback.
• ⚽ The players passed the ball to each other during the match.

4. Common Mistakes with Reflexive Pronouns

A. Overusing Reflexive Pronouns
💡 Some verbs that are reflexive in other languages are not reflexive in English.

• • 👩 ❌ 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.

✅ Common Verbs That Are Not Reflexive in English:

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