Use reflexive pronouns
Key Notes:
🔮 Reflexive pronouns are pronouns that end in -self or -selves.
| Subject (singular) | Reflexive pronoun |
| I | myself |
| you | yourself |
| she | herself |
| he | himself |
| it | itself |
| Subject (plural) | Reflexive pronoun |
| we | ourselves |
| you | yourselves |
| they | themselves |
🔮 Reflexive pronouns are used to refer back to the subject of a sentence. They should match the subject.
- We helped ourselves to some more soup.
- The subject of the sentence is we, so use ourselves.
- Amy drives herself to work every morning.
- The subject of the sentence, Amy, can be called she, so use herself.
🔮 A reflexive pronoun can only be used to refer to the subject. To refer to someone else or something else, a personal pronoun, like me, you, him, her, it, us, or them, should be used instead.
- Jake wrote a note for himself.
- The reflexive pronoun, himself, refers back to the subject, Jake.
- Jake wrote a note for him.
- The personal pronoun, him, must refer to someone other than the subject, Jake.
Learn with an example
1)Complete the sentence with a pronoun that refers back to the subject in bold.
Ms Johnson promised _______a much-needed nap after work.
- The subject, Ms Johnson, can be called she. Use the matching reflexive pronoun, herself.
2)Complete the sentence with a pronoun that refers back to the subject in bold.
He distanced ________from the bully.
- The subject is he. So, use the matching reflexive pronoun, himself.
3)Complete the sentence with a pronoun that refers back to the subject in bold.
A rat can squeeze ______through very small holes.
- The subject, a rat, can be called it. Use the matching reflexive pronoun, itself.
Let’s practice!🖊️
