X-English

Access free digital exercise materials to prepare for English language exams. Resources are categorized into different difficulty levels: beginner, intermediate or advanced in English

Grammar » Pronouns » Explanation of Reflexive Pronouns

Explanation of Reflexive Pronouns

What are Reflexive Pronouns in English?

Reflexive pronouns are a type of pronoun used in sentences to reflect the action of the verb back onto the subject. They indicate that the subject of the sentence is performing an action on itself. Reflexive pronouns are an essential part of English grammar and are used to show actions that involve self-reference or actions done to oneself.

Formation and Usage of Reflexive Pronouns in English

In English, reflexive pronouns are formed by adding ‘-self’ to the pronoun. The choice of reflexive pronoun depends on the grammatical person (first person, second person, or third person) and number (singular or plural).

They are commonly used to emphasize that the action is directed back at the subject and can also be employed to avoid ambiguity in sentences. It’s important to note that reflexive pronouns are only used when the subject and the object of the verb are the same. If the action is not directed back at the subject, regular object pronouns (e.g., me, you, him, her, it, us, them) should be used instead.

Common Reflexive Pronouns

1. Singular:

  • Myself (First person singular)
  • Yourself (Second person singular)
  • Himself (Third person singular, masculine)
  • Herself (Third person singular, feminine)
  • Itself (Third person singular, neuter)

2. Plural:

  • Ourselves (First person plural)
  • Yourselves (Second person plural)
  • Themselves (Third person plural)

Examples of reflexive pronouns

Here are some examples of how reflexive pronouns are used in sentences:

  1. First Person Singular:
    – I hurt myself when I fell.
  2. Second Person Singular:
    – You should take care of yourself.
  3. Third Person Singular (Masculine):
    – He shaved himself this morning.
  4. Third Person Singular (Feminine):
    – She dressed herself for the party.
  5. Third Person Singular (Neuter):
    – The robot can repair itself.
  6. First Person Plural:
    – We made ourselves a delicious dinner.
  7. Second Person Plural:
    – Please help yourselves to some snacks.
  8. Third Person Plural:
    – They enjoyed themselves at the concert.

Reflexive Pronoun Exercises: 

Instructions : Fill in the blank with the appropriate reflexive pronoun. Options include myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves, or each other.

  1. She looked at _______ in the mirror and smiled.
  2. After the game, they congratulated ______ on a job well done.
  3. I prefer to do things by ______ rather than asking for help.
  4. The cat groomed _____ by licking its fur.
  5. We should be proud of _______ for completing the project ahead of schedule.
  6. He hurt _______ while playing basketball and had to see a doctor.
  7. The two friends always support _______ in times of need.
  8. The robot can operate and repair ______ without human assistance.
  9. They bought matching outfits and wore them to complement ______.
  10. The baby learned to feed ______ with a spoon.

Answers and Explanations:

  1. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. (The reflexive pronoun “herself” refers back to the subject “she”)
  2. After the game, they congratulated themselves on a job well done. (The reflexive pronoun “themselves” indicates that they congratulated themselves, the same group of people.)
  3. I prefer to do things by myself rather than asking for help. (The reflexive pronoun “myself” emphasizes that the speaker prefers to do things independently)
  4. The cat groomed itself by licking its fur. (The reflexive pronoun “itself” refers back to the subject “the cat”)
  5. We should be proud of ourselves for completing the project ahead of schedule. (The reflexive pronoun “ourselves” emphasizes that the speaker and others in the group completed the project)
  6. He hurt himself while playing basketball and had to see a doctor. (The reflexive pronoun “himself” indicates that he hurt himself)
  7. The two friends always support each other in times of need. (The reflexive pronoun “each other” emphasizes mutual support between the two friends)
  8. The robot can operate and repair itself without human assistance. (The reflexive pronoun “itself” indicates that the robot can perform actions on itself)
  9. They bought matching outfits and wore them to complement each other. (The reflexive pronoun “each other” emphasizes the mutual complementing between the two people)
  10. The baby learned to feed itself with a spoon. (The reflexive pronoun “itself” indicates that the baby learned to feed itself.)