Reflexive Pronouns

Teacher Emerson Macedo

Reflexive pronouns are usedto indicate that both thesubject and the object of asentence receive the actionof the verb.

To make things easier to you, you must understand the following table:

Personal Pronouns Reflexive Pronouns

I Myself

You Yourself

He Himself

She Herself

It Itself

We Ourselves

You Yourselves

They themselves

Ex: I cut myself in the kitchen.

It means that I was using a knife and I cut my finger.

More examples:

He hurt himself when he fell off his skateboard.

She usually talks to herself in front of the mirror.

David read quietly to himself.

We can trust in ourselves.

The students can monitor themselves.

Note 1: Be careful with the uses of yourself and yourselves.

Yourself – singular form

You always blame yourself when something is wrong Bob.

Yourselves – plural form

Mike and Tina, you must take care of yourselves.

Note 2: You can use reflexive pronouns after “by” to emphasize that someone did something without any help, or to say that someone is alone.

I did the homework by myself.

He lived in England for 6 years by himself.

Note 3: Do not use reflexive pronouns after “with” meaning “accompanied by”.

Why didn’t you bring your sister with you?

Note 4: Do not use reflexive pronouns when referring to places.

You have to keep your experiment in front of you.

Note 5: Do not use reflexive pronouns with verbs which describe actions that people normally do to themselves.

I usually shave in the morning.

Now do it by yourselves!

1. I fixed my by by ___________________.

2. Kelly finished her exercise by _____________.

3. You can buy ____________ an ice cream.

4. They watched the movie by _____________.

5. He would bring his friends with ___________.

6. They usually talk to ______________.