Table of Contents
1. What are Reflexive Pronouns?
Reflexive pronouns are a special type of pronoun that reflect the action of the verb back to the subject of the sentence. In simpler words, they refer to the same person or thing as the subject and are used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same.
In English, the reflexive pronouns are:
- Myself
- Yourself
- Himself
- Herself
- Itself
- Ourselves
- Yourselves
- Themselves
2. Using Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are typically used in three main situations:
To emphasize the subject:
- I cooked the dinner myself.
- She built the sandcastle herself.
- They repaired the car themselves.
For actions performed by the subject on themselves:
- He cut himself while shaving.
- She taught herself to play the piano.
- We dressed ourselves for the party.
With certain verbs that require a reflexive pronoun:
- I find myself lost in thought.
- He enjoyed himself at the concert.
- They blame themselves for the mistake.
It’s important to remember that reflexive pronouns must always refer back to the subject of the sentence. They cannot be used as the subject of a sentence on their own.
3. Examples of Reflexive Pronouns in Sentences
To help you better understand how reflexive pronouns are used, let’s look at some examples:
- I bought myself a new book.
- Could you please pass the salt to yourself?
- The cat cleaned itself after playing in the mud.
- We enjoyed ourselves at the beach.
- They taught themselves how to ride a bike.
As you can see from these examples, the reflexive pronoun always reflects back to the subject of the sentence.
4. FAQs about Reflexive Pronouns
No, reflexive pronouns cannot be used as the subject of a sentence on their own. They must always refer back to the subject.
No, reflexive pronouns and intensive pronouns may look similar, but they serve different purposes. Reflexive pronouns reflect the action back to the subject, while intensive pronouns emphasize a preceding noun or pronoun.
Reflexive pronouns are used with specific verbs that require them. These verbs are often related to actions done to oneself, such as “hurt,” “enjoy,” “blame,” and others.
Yes, there are a few exceptions. Some verbs are used reflexively in certain situations, but not always. For example, “She dressed quickly” is correct, but “She dressed herself quickly” is also acceptable.
Yes, reflexive pronouns can be used in the objective case when they are the object of a preposition or a verb.
