Firstly we must understand when to use a reflexive pronoun and when to use an emphasising pronoun. We use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and the object in a sentence are the same person or thing. This means that the doer of the action is also the receiver of the action. The action does not pass from one person or thing to another person or thing, but it reflects back to the same person or thing. Download Exercise. The reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves and themselves.
We use them when the action comes back to the person or thing who does it. In an abstract sense, you could say it is like a mirror effect. When you look into a mirror, your image is reflected back at you; you see yourself, not someone else. In this case, grammatically you are doing the action to yourself, not someone else; the action is reflected back to you. I buy it. We buy ourselves a pen.
The pen is for us. You buy yourselves a pen. They buy themselves a pen. The pen is for them. There is a bird on that branch. It is singing. The bird is singing. It would be good to wait. Waiting would be a good idea. I myself disagree with what was said. I, for my part, disagree Here the subject and the object refer to the same person — I.
You cut yourself. Here the subject and the object refer to the same person — you. She cut herself. Here the subject and the object refer to the same person — she. The child cut itself. We cut ourselves.
Note: When self is used independently, it is a noun and not a pronoun. An honest man keeps his self free from all vices. Emphatic pronouns Wh en reflexive pronouns are used to put emphasis on a particular noun they are called emphatic pronouns.
He himself told me this. I finished the job myself. They themselves admitted their mistake. We ourselves witnessed the accident.
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