Reflexive Pronouns

Definition: Reflexive sounds like reflection, the image in the mirror that bounces back at you. A
reflexive pronoun tells us that whoever performs the action in a sentence is also the one on the
receiving end of that action. In other words, the reflexive pronoun reflects back to the subject. A
reflexive pronoun can be used as the direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition in a
sentence.

Reflexive Pronouns

Singular Plural

myself ourselves

yourself yourselves

himself themselves
herself
itself
The puppy saw itself in the mirror.
Itself is the direct object in the sentence. The pronoun itself refers back to the subject. The puppy
saw the puppy in the mirror.
Hint:
If you're still not sure whom the pronoun is referring to, ask yourself questions to break
down the sentence.
Find the subject (doer) and the verb (action): Who saw? The puppy saw.
(The puppy is doing the action.)
Find the object: What did the puppy see? Itself, the puppy.
(The puppy is also receiving the action.)
Know When not to Use Reflexive Pronouns ...
Do not use reflexive pronouns instead of subject or object pronouns.

Error Correction

Mark and myself went to the movies. Mark and I went to the movies.

Our teacher gave Sara and myself an award for Our teacher gave Sara and me an award for
the best project. the best project.

...And Recognize the Reflexives That Don't Actually Exist!

There are several nonexistent reflexive pronouns that people commonly use, such as hisself,
ourself, theirself, themself, and theirselves. If you use any of these pronouns, here is a simple chart
to show you which pronouns to use instead.
 Error Correction

hisself himself

ourself ourselves

theirself, theirselves, or themself themselves

Intensive vs. Reflexive Pronouns

Definition: Intensive is like intense. Something intense is very strong. An intensive pronoun
emphasizes a preceding noun, which is often (but not always) the noun immediately before the
pronoun. Intensive pronouns look exactly the same as reflexive pronouns, but they are only used
for emphasis.
The queen herself gave the knight the award.
The queen gave the knight the award herself.
Herself refers to the queen. Using an intensive pronoun tells the reader (or listener) that it's a big
deal that the queen gave the award. After all, she's not just anybody—she's the queen!
Because intensive pronouns are used only for emphasis, they can be removed from a sentence
without affecting its meaning. The same is not true of reflexive pronouns, which do cause a change
in meaning when removed from a sentence. Look at the following comparison to understand the
difference.

Reflexive Intensive

The queen bought herself a dog. The queen bought the dog herself.
The queen bought something for herself. She is both The intensive pronoun herself merely
completing and receiving the action in the sentence. emphasizes the fact that the queen (not someone
else) was the one who bought the dog.

Notice how the meaning changes when we remove
the reflexive pronoun:
The queen bought herself a dog.
Did the queen buy the dog for herself, or did she buy
it for someone else? Without the reflexive pronoun,
there's no way to know for sure.
If the intensive pronoun is removed, the meaning
doesn't change:
The queen bought the dog herself.
The queen still bought the dog regardless of
whether the intensive pronoun is in the sentence
or not
 Reflexive vs. Intensive Pronouns
You can tell the difference between a reflexive pronoun and an intensive pronoun easily: Intensive pronouns aren’t
essential to a sentence’s basic meaning. Understanding this basic difference will help to prevent you from confusing
the two.

Both intensive and reflexive pronouns end in the suffix –self or –selves, however reflexive pronouns are always
objects that refer to a sentence’s subject. The following example shows a reflexive pronoun in action:

Jim made himself coffee.

Without the reflexive pronoun himself, it would be impossible for the reader to know who Jim made coffee for.

In the next example, himself is used as an intensive pronoun. The reader would be able to understand the
sentence’s complete meaning without this pronoun, but it serves to add emphasis:

Jim made coffee for the king himself.

Here, himself refers to the king rather than to Jim. The reader is meant to be impressed that Jim made coffee for the
king.

Common Intensive Pronouns

The following list contains the most commonly used examples of intensive pronouns.

 Himself
 Herself
 Yourself
 Themselves
 Ourselves
Intensive pronouns might not be necessary, but they serve the important function of making your writing more
interesting as well as more meaningful, particularly in formal situations. Use them sparingly to ensure that the
emphasis they provide isn’t lost.

Intensive Pronoun Examples

Intensive pronouns are used to add emphasis to statements. In the following examples, the intensive pronouns have
been italicized for ease of identification.

1. Jesse wondered aloud whether he himself was the only one seeing what was happening.
2. Maria knew that she herself could make a positive impact on the world, if only she put her mind to it.
3. You yourself can easily transform your body: All it takes is a proper diet and plenty of exercise.
4. The team knew that they themselves were responsible for playing their best.
5. We ourselves are the ones who make the greatest impact upon the world we live in.
Intensive Pronoun Exercises
Choose the correct intensive pronoun to fill the blank in each sentence.

1. We built a garden shed by ______________.

A. Myself
B. Ourselves
C. Themselves
D. Himself
2. Jordan made _____________ a sandwich, complete with pickles.
A. Ourselves
B. Yourself
C. Himself
D. Themselves
3. I’m a little nervous about walking by _____________ after dark.
A. Myself
B. Ourselves
C. Themselves
D. Herself
4. The twins are growing up fast; they’re already walking by _____________.
A. Myself
B. Ourselves
C. Himself
D. Themselves
5. Jennifer sewed her dress ____________.
A. Myself
B. Himself
C. Ourselves
D. Herself
Answer Key

1. B – We built a garden shed by ourselves.

2. C – Jordan made himself a sandwich, complete with pickles.
3. A – I’m a little nervous about walking by myself after dark.
4. D – The twins are growing up fast; they’re already walking by themselves.
5. D – Jennifer sewed her dress herself.

Intensive vs. Reflexive Pronoun Exercises

Identify the italicized word as either a reflexive pronoun or an intensive pronoun.

1. Ben built a boat for himself

A. Reflexive pronoun
B. Intensive pronoun
2. My mother bakes our family’s bread herself.
A. Reflexive pronoun
B. Intensive pronoun
3. The mayor herself appeared at the rally.
A. Reflexive pronoun
B. Intensive pronoun
Answer Key

1. A – Reflexive pronoun
2. B – Intensive pronoun
3. B – Intensive pronoun