Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns

Start

1. What are reflexive pronouns?

They refer back to a person or thing. We often use reflexive pronouns when the subject and the direct object of a verb are the same.-I cut myself when I was making dinner last night. -I hope you enjoy yourselves at the party tonight! -My phone isn't working properly. It turns itself off for no reason. -We need to believe in ourselves more.

Subject Pronouns Reflexive Pronouns

IYou She He It We They You

MyselfYourself Herself Himself Itself Ourselves Themselves Yourselves

Transitive Verbs

We can use a reflexive pronoun as object with most transitive verbs, but these are some : bring buy see give cut help hurt make show send love push

Object vs Reflexive Pronoun

Reflexive Pronoun

Object Pronoun

the underlined words are the SAME person/thing I saw myself in the mirror . Mary sent herself a copy. John gave himself a gift.

the underlined words are NOT the same person/thing John saw me. I sent her a copy. Mary gave him a gift.

Add emphasis

1. We can use reflexive pronouns to emphasise that someone does it personally, not anybody else. -The door was definitely locked. I locked it myself. - Are you redecorating your flat yourselves?

2. We can also use a reflexive pronoun together with the noun it refers to in order to emphasise it. - We talked to the manager herself, and she agreed. - Parents themselves need to take more responsibility for their children's learning.

3. We can add a reflexive pronoun for emphasis when it's unusual or different.-He wants to pass his driving test so that he can drive himself to work. -She broke her arm, so she couldn't wash herself very easily.

+Info

By + reflexive pronouns

We can use by + reflexive pronoun to mean alone.-He usually goes on holiday by himself. - Do you enjoy being by yourself?

Thank you!