Use reflexive pronouns
Key Notes:
- What Are Reflexive Pronouns?
- Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same person or thing. They end in -self (for singular) or -selves (for plural).
- Examples: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.
- When to Use Reflexive Pronouns:
- Reflexive pronouns are used when someone does something to or for themselves.
- Example: “I cut the cake by myself.” (Here, “myself” shows that the subject “I” performed the action on themselves).
- Common Reflexive Pronouns:
- Singular: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself
- Plural: ourselves, yourselves, themselves
- Correct Usage of Reflexive Pronouns:
- Reflexive pronouns must refer back to the subject of the sentence.
- Example: “She taught herself to play the piano.”
- Example: “We made the cake by ourselves.”
- Incorrect Usage to Avoid:
- Don’t use reflexive pronouns when the subject and object are not the same.
- Example: “She gave the gift to herself” is correct, but “She gave the gift to myself” is incorrect.
- Common Mistakes:
- Avoid using reflexive pronouns in place of personal pronouns. For instance, don’t say, “John and myself went to the park.” Instead, say, “John and I went to the park.”
- How Reflexive Pronouns Add Emphasis:
- Reflexive pronouns can be used for emphasis to stress that the subject did the action alone.
- Example: “He fixed the car himself.” (Emphasizing that he did it without help).
- Examples for Practice:
- “She made dinner by herself.”
- “We cleaned the classroom ourselves.”
- “He hurt himself while playing.”
- Tips for Correct Usage:
- Always make sure the reflexive pronoun refers to the subject of the sentence.
- Reflexive pronouns can be used to emphasize that someone did something without help.
Let’s practice!🖋️
