3. Reflexive Pronouns
Note: Unlike ‘you’ and ‘your’, there are two
forms for the second person: ‘yourself’ in the
singular and ‘yourselves’ in the plural.
4. Reflexive Pronouns
You use reflexive pronouns as the direct or
indirect object of the verb when you want to
say that the object is the same person or
thing as the subject of the verb in the same
clause.
For example, ‘John taught himself’ means that
John did the teaching and was also the
person who was taught.
5. Reflexive Pronouns
‘Ann poured herself a drink’ means that Ann
did the pouring and was also the person the
drink was poured for.
6. Reflexive Pronouns
She stretched herself out on the sofa.
The men formed themselves into a line.
He should give himself more time.
7. Reflexive Pronouns
Note: Although the subject ‘you’ is omitted in
imperatives, you can still use ‘yourself’ or
‘yourselves’.
Here’s the money, go and buy yourself an ice
cream.
8. Reflexive Pronouns
Most transitive verbs can take a reflexive
pronoun.
I blame myself for not paying attention.
He introduced himself to me.
9. Reflexive Pronouns
WARNING: Verbs which describe actions that
people normally do to themselves do not take
reflexive pronouns in English, although they
do in some other languages.
I usually shave before breakfast.
I washed very quickly and rushed downstairs.
10. Reflexive Pronouns
You use a reflexive pronoun as the object of a
preposition when the object of the preposition
refers to the same person or thing as the
subject of the verb in the same clause.
I was thoroughly ashamed of myself.
They are making fools of themselves.
Tell me about yourself.
11. Reflexive Pronouns
Note: You use personal pronouns, not
reflexive pronouns, when referring to places
and after ‘with’ meaning ‘accompanied by’.
You should have your notes in front of you.
He would have to bring Judy with him.
12. Reflexive Pronouns
You use reflexive pronouns after nouns or
pronouns to emphasize that someone did
something without any help from anyone else.
She had printed the card herself.
I’ll take it down to the police station myself.
Did you make these yourself?
13. Reflexive Pronouns
You use reflexive pronouns with ‘by’ to say:
• that someone does something without help
from other people
… when babies start eating their meals by
themselves.
She was sure she could manage by herself.
14. Reflexive Pronouns
You use reflexive pronouns with ‘by’ to say:
• that someone is alone.
He went off to sit by himself.
I was there for six months by myself.
15. Reflexive Pronouns
You can also use ‘on my own’, ‘on your own’,
and so on, to say to say that someone is
alone or does something without any help.
We were in the park on our own.
They managed to reach the village on their
own.
16. Reflexive Pronouns
You can use ‘all’ for emphasis.
Did you put those shelves up all by yourself?
We can’t solve those problems all on our
own.
WARNING: ‘One another’ and ‘each other’
are not reflexive pronouns.
