Choose between personal and reflexive pronouns
Key Notes:
- What Are Personal Pronouns?
- Personal pronouns are words that replace specific people or things in a sentence (e.g., I, you, he, she, it, we, they).
- Example: “She is going to the store.”
- What Are Reflexive Pronouns?
- Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of the sentence are the same person or thing. They end in -self or -selves (e.g., myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves).
- Example: “He taught himself how to play the guitar.”
- When to Use Personal Pronouns:
- Use personal pronouns when referring to someone or something as the subject or object of the sentence.
- Example (subject): “She likes to read.”
- Example (object): “The teacher called him.”
- When to Use Reflexive Pronouns:
- Use reflexive pronouns when the subject performs the action on itself.
- Example: “I made this cake by myself.”
- Common Mistakes:
- Don’t use a reflexive pronoun if the subject and object are not the same (e.g., “He gave the book to me” is correct, not “He gave the book to myself“).
- Avoid using a personal pronoun when the subject acts on itself (e.g., “She hurt herself,” not “She hurt her“).
- Tips for Correct Usage:
- Use a personal pronoun if the action is done to another person or thing.
- Use a reflexive pronoun if the action is done to the same person or thing performing the action.
- Examples for Practice:
- Personal Pronoun: “They helped him with his homework.”
- Reflexive Pronoun: “She finished the project by herself.”
- Key Difference:
- Personal pronouns point to someone or something else.
- Reflexive pronouns point back to the subject doing the action.
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