Use reflexive pronouns

key notes:

What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

  • Definition: Reflexive pronouns are words that refer back to the subject of the sentence. They show that the action of the verb is directed back at the subject.

List of Reflexive Pronouns

  • myself (used for “I”)
  • yourself (used for “you” singular)
  • himself (used for “he”)
  • herself (used for “she”)
  • itself (used for “it”)
  • ourselves (used for “we”)
  • yourselves (used for “you” plural)
  • themselves (used for “they”)

When Do We Use Reflexive Pronouns?

  1. When the Subject and Object Are the Same: Use a reflexive pronoun when the person or thing doing the action and receiving the action are the same.
  • Example: I can dress myself. (The person doing and receiving the action is the same.)
  1. To Emphasize the Subject: Use reflexive pronouns to emphasize that the subject did the action alone.
  • Example: She made the cake herself. (She made it without help.)

Examples of Reflexive Pronouns in Sentences

  1. I washed the car by myself.
  2. He cut himself while cooking.
  3. The cat cleaned itself.
  4. We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
  5. You should take care of yourself.
  6. They taught themselves to play the piano.

How to Use Reflexive Pronouns

  1. Identify the Subject: Find out who or what is doing the action.
  2. Check if the Action Reflects Back: See if the subject is acting on itself.
  3. Use the Correct Reflexive Pronoun: Match the pronoun to the subject.
  • I → myself
  • You → yourself/yourselves
  • He → himself
  • She → herself
  • It → itself
  • We → ourselves
  • They → themselves

Practice Using Reflexive Pronouns

Fill in the blanks with the correct reflexive pronoun:

  1. I baked the cookies by __.
  • Answer: myself
  1. Be careful, or you’ll hurt __.
  • Answer: yourself
  1. She likes to read books by __.
  • Answer: herself
  1. The dog was chasing __ in the mirror.
  • Answer: itself
  1. We did our homework by __.
  • Answer: ourselves
  1. The kids dressed __ for the party.
  • Answer: themselves

Self-Check

Check your answers:

  1. myself
  2. yourself
  3. herself
  4. itself
  5. ourselves
  6. themselves

Let’s practice!🖊️