Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns end in -self (singular) or -selves (plural). They have two distinct uses.

The Forms

| Person | Singular | Plural | | ------ | -------------------------- | ---------- | | 1st | myself | ourselves | | 2nd | yourself | yourselves | | 3rd | himself / herself / itself | themselves |

Reflexive Use (Subject and Object Are the Same)

The action reflects back to the subject.

• I cut myself while cooking.
• She taught herself to play piano.
• He looked at himself in the mirror.
• The cat cleaned itself.
• We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
• They hurt themselves during the game.

Intensive Use (Emphasis)

The pronoun emphasizes that the subject personally did the action. The sentence still makes sense without it.

• The CEO himself approved the project.
• I myself saw the accident.
• She herself baked the cake.
• They themselves admitted it was a mistake.

Common Mistakes

Using reflexives instead of object pronouns:

• Incorrect: Please send the report to myself.

• Correct: Please send the report to me.

• Incorrect: John and myself will attend.

• Correct: John and I will attend.

"Hisself" and "theirselves" are not standard English:

• Incorrect: He hurt hisself.

• Correct: He hurt himself.

• Incorrect: They did it theirselves.

• Correct: They did it themselves.

"By + Reflexive" = Alone

• She lives by herself. (alone)
• He did it by himself. (without help)
• They traveled by themselves. (without company)