3-English On The Go: Reflexive pronouns

 You may not have heard the term "reflexive pronoun" but you're probably already using it. Find out more about reflexive pronouns in this lesson.

Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves.

Reflexive pronouns.

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ABC Education

I use the reflexive pronoun myself if I am speaking in the first person. 

Or ourselves if I am talking about me and my friends.

I could speak in the second person about yourself. The plural form is yourselves. 

Using third person, I can use himself, herself, itself or oneself. The plural form is themselves. 

One common use of reflexive pronouns is to refer to actions or objects where the subject and object are the same person or thing.

I treated myself to an avocado sandwich. (correct)

I treated me to an avocado sandwich. (wrong)

We made ourselves a cup of tea. (correct)

We made us a cup of tea. (wrong)

Where do you see yourself in ten years? (correct)

Where do you see you in ten years? (wrong)

Reflexive pronouns can also be used for emphasis to mean that person or thing and nobody or nothing else. Here, they can also be called intensive pronouns or emphatic pronouns. 

The house itself is big but the block is small.

The team leader approached me herself. 

He organised the party himself.

One way to know whether they are reflexive or intensive pronouns is to see if you can drop the pronoun. When intensive pronouns are dropped, the sentence still makes sense. 

The house is big but the block is small.

The team leader approached me.

He organised the party.

But if the sentence does not make sense anymore when the pronoun is removed, then they are known as reflexive pronouns. 

They got out of the pool and dried themselves. (correct)

They got out of the pool and dried. (wrong)

I treated myself to an avocado. (correct)

I treated to an avocado. (wrong)