Use reflexive pronouns
Key Notes:
🗼 Reflexive pronouns are pronouns that end in -self or -selves.
| Subject (singular) | Reflexive pronoun |
| I | myself |
| you | yourself |
| she | herself |
| he | himself |
| it | itself |
| Subject (plural) | Reflexive pronoun |
| we | ourselves |
| you | yourselves |
| they | themselves |
🗼 Reflexive pronouns are used to refer back to the subject of a sentence. They should match the subject.
- We helped ourselves to some more soup.
- The subject of the sentence is we, so use ourselves.
- Amy drives herself to work every morning.
- The subject of the sentence, Amy, can be called she, so use herself.
🗼 A reflexive pronoun can only be used to refer to the subject. To refer to someone else or something else, a personal pronoun, like me, you, him, her, it, us or them, should be used instead.
- Jake wrote a note for himself.
- The reflexive pronoun, himself, refers back to the subject, Jake.
- Jake wrote a note for him.
- The personal pronoun, him, must refer to someone other than the subject, Jake.
Learn with an example
1) Complete the sentence with a pronoun that refers back to the subject in bold.
The two sisters considered _____________the only truly adventurous people in their family.
- The subject of the sentence is sisters, which can be called they. Use the matching reflexive pronoun, themselves.
2)Complete the sentence with a pronoun that refers back to the subject in bold.
You always give us a________ hard time, but we all think you are the hardest-working person we know!
- The subject of the clause in which the pronoun appears is you (singular). So, use the matching reflexive pronoun, yourself.
3)Complete the sentence with a pronoun that refers back to the subject in bold.
I bought ____________an easel so that it would be easier to paint landscapes.
- The subject of the clause in which the pronoun appears is I. So, use the matching reflexive pronoun, myself.
Let’s practice!🖋️
