Reflexive pronouns (I) Form myself yourself himself / herself / itself ourselves yourselves (plural) themselves Functions and

examples 1. We use reflexive pronouns when the subject and object are the same. I burnt myself on the stove this morning. NOT: I burnt me on the stove this morning. You can help yourselves to drinks. NOT: You can help you to drinks. He blames himself for the accident. NOT: He blames him for the accident. 2. We use reflexive pronouns to emphasize the subject, meaning "that person or thing and nobody/nothing else". "Did someone paint your house?" "No, I painted it myself." He was planning to ask his assistant to go, but in the end he went himself. Important points 1. We do not use reflexive pronouns after feel, meet, concentrate and relax, and we do not normally use them after wash, shave and dress, unless it is necessary to make it clear who does the action. He finds it difficult to relax. NOT: He finds it difficult to relax himself. When I got up, I washed. NOT: When I got up, I washed myself. 2. If it is clear that the meaning is reflexive, it is not necessary to use a reflexive pronoun. He gave the present to him. He gave the present to himself. (We need a reflexive pronoun to clarify who the present is for.) I took my mother with me NOT: I took my mother with myself (The only possible meaning is reflexive so we don't use a reflexive pronoun.) 3. We can use by + reflexive pronoun to mean alone. She likes to go on holiday by herself. 4. We cannot use a reflexive possessive pronoun: we use my / your... own. They all did their own work. NOT: They all did themselves work.

Reflexive pronouns (II) Reflexive pronouns English doesnt really have reflexive verbs the way that many other languages do. However, when the same person is the subject and object of the verb we usually use a reflexive pronoun. I cut myself shaving this morning. The subject I is also the object of the sentence so we use the reflexive pronoun, myself. Why dont you buy yourself a new car? This ones really unreliable. He looked at himself in the mirror. She taught herself Italian using a book. The washing machine switches itself off when its finished. We kept ourselves warm around the fire. Tell me all about yourselves. Hedgehogs protect themselves from predators by rolling into a ball. Enjoy is often used with a reflexive pronoun. Did you enjoy yourself at the party? From their postcard it sounds as if theyre really enjoying themselves. By yourself means alone He lives by himself in a cottage by the sea. Im rather anti-social. I love being by myself. Reflexive pronouns can also be used with nouns to mean Me (or you/him/her etc) and nobody else Did you do this homework yourself or did you get help? Did you talk to the manageress herself or just to one of her assistants? There is an important difference between reflexive pronouns and reciprocal pronouns They looked at themselves in the mirror. This is reflexive. They looked at each other lovingly. This is reciprocal. He looked at her and she looked at him.