LoginReflexive Pronouns
This in-depth lesson on Reflexive Pronouns in English includes detailed examples and a quiz to test your knowledge.
What Are Reflexive Pronouns?
Reflexive Pronouns
You can find a list of reflexive pronouns in the table below:
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| First | myself | ourselves |
| Second | yourself | yourselves |
| Third | himself, herself, itself | themselves |
Now take a look at some examples:
Whenever I fail, I tell
In this sentence, 'myself' refers to a previously mentioned pronoun, which is 'I' .
They were arguing amongst
Warning!
While in most cases the second-person singular and plural pronouns have the same form in English (you), this is not the case with reflexive pronouns. Specifically, 'yourself' is the second-person singular reflexive pronoun, while 'yourselves' is the second-person plural reflexive pronoun.
Impersonal Reflexive Pronoun
In addition to the reflexive pronouns mentioned earlier, there is one more reflexive pronoun: 'oneself.' Like 'one,' 'oneself' does not refer to a specific person, and can be used it in two ways:
- Like other reflexive pronouns, to refer to a previously mentioned noun or pronoun:
One must be careful not to put
'Oneself' refers to the previously mentioned 'one.' This sentence is the same as 'you must be careful not to put yourself in danger.'
- As the object of the sentence when there is no clear subject:
It's important to give
In this statement, it is not clear who the subject is, so we can use 'oneself' as an object.
Gender Neutral Reflexive Pronoun
In the past, the more traditional "he or she" was used as an indefinite singular pronouns to refer to someone whose gender was unknown. But the singular 'they' can also be used for this purpose. So, when we do not want to use the gender-specific 'he' or 'she', we can use 'they' and 'themselves' instead. We can also use him- or herself. They are all correct.
Everyone needs to take responsibility for
Themselves, herself, himself are all alternatives. We can use themselves in order not to mention the gender.
Everyone needs to take responsibility for
Everyone needs to take responsibility for
Reflexive Pronouns: Uses
There are a number of cases that require use of reflexive pronouns. Here are some of the main uses of these pronouns:
1. When the Subject and the Object Are the Same
Reflexive pronouns cannot stand as the subject of the sentence. They are used when the object refers to the same person or thing as the subject. Using an object pronoun that refers to the same person as the subject pronoun is possible, but only when referring to the first-person singular subject. Take a look at this example:
In this example, using an object pronoun can indicate that the subject and the object are the same person.
But in second, and specially third person, using this structure may lead to ambiguity. Look at this example:
In this example, it is impossible to determine if the subject 'He' and the object 'him' are the same person (he may have seen another man in the mirror).
Here, by using a reflexive pronoun, it is shown that the subject and object of the sentence are definitely the same.
To avoid such ambiguities, reflexive pronouns are used as the object in such cases. Reflexive pronouns can function as both direct objects and indirect objects in a sentence. In such cases, typically a personal pronoun or name is used as the
I hurt
As you can see, the subject and the object both refer to the same person.
When a reflexive pronoun is used as an indirect object, it indicates why or for whom the action is performed. For example:
I bought
This is the same as 'I bought a new car for me.'
Sam makes a cup of coffee for
Or 'Sam makes himself a cup of coffee'.
Using The Reflexive Pronoun 'Himself' as the Object
Object Pronoun or Reflexive Pronoun?
After some prepositions such as 'for,' 'to,' etc. reflexive pronouns are used, but after prepositions of place object pronouns are used, not reflexives.
He had a suitcase beside himself)
As you know, 'beside' is a preposition of place, so we must use an 'object pronoun.'
She had a few friends with herself)
In this example, 'with' is a preposition which cannot be followed by a 'reflexive pronoun.'
2. When Referring to Someone Politely
Reflexive pronouns can be used to refer to someone politely. In this case, 'yourself' and 'yourselves' are used frequently but other reflexive pronouns are rare.
I think an educated man like
In this example, using 'yourself' instead of 'you' makes the sentence more polite.
We welcome gentlemen such as
3. When Using a Reflexive Verb
Generally, if the object of a verb is a reflexive pronoun, that verb is called a reflexive verb. To be more specific, the subject and the direct object of reflexive verbs refer to the same person or thing. Look at the following example:
My daughter
Here, 'threw' is a reflexive verb since the object and the subject refer to the same person.
Some verbs such as 'perjure' are always reflexive; meaning that they always need a reflexive pronoun as their object.
I couldn't believe it when Richard told me that he had
Examples of Reflexive Verbs
Using reflexive pronouns with certain verbs can change their meanings. Here are some examples of these verbs and their modified meanings. Remember that while using these verbs you can replace 'oneself' with any reflexive pronoun:
| Reflexive Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Amuse oneself | Do something to pass the time |
| Apply oneself | Work and try hard |
| Content oneself with | Settle down for something less than one's desire |
| Behave oneself | Act appropriately |
| Find oneself | Learn about and understand oneself |
| Help oneself (to) | Serve food/drink for oneself |
The meaning of these verbs is different when used without a reflexive object. Let us look at some examples of these verbs:
The ski lodge was closed, so we had to
In this example, if we omit the reflexive object, it does not mean to settle down anymore.
Please,
Carol said she needs some time to
'Find' does not mean 'to understand' without the reflexive object.
Emphatic Pronoun Vs. Reflexive Pronoun
Keep in mind that emphatic pronouns typically do not occupy the position of an object in a sentence. Instead, they are usually placed before the verb or at the end of the sentence for emphasis. Additionally, emphatic pronouns can be removed from the sentence without affecting its meaning or grammaticality, while reflexive pronouns are essential for the sentence structure. Compare the examples:
He
In this example, 'himself' is placed before the verb and is an 'emphatic pronoun.'
He bought
In this example, 'himself' is placed in the position of an indirect object and is a 'reflexive pronoun.'
Review
Reflexive pronouns are used to show the relationship between the subject and the object of the sentences. English reflexive pronouns include: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. These pronouns are used in the following contexts:
| functions | examples |
|---|---|
| when subject and object are the same |
They ordered |
| when we want to be polite |
I need |
| when we use a reflexive verb |
Enjoy |
Quiz:
| Subject Pronouns | Reflexive Pronouns |
|---|---|
I | |
you (singular) | |
it | |
you (plural) | |
they |
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