Reflexive Pronouns Exercise
Before doing the exercise, let’s review reflexive pronouns.
Grammar Rules
Explanation:
Reflexive pronouns are an interesting type of pronouns in English. They all end with -self (singular) or -selves (plural).
We use reflexive pronouns when the object of the sentence is the same as the subject.
When you say, I blame her for what happened. The subject and the object refer to two different people, so we use the object pronoun her for the object.
Now compare with this sentence where the subject and object are the same person: I blame myself for what happened. In this sentence we use the reflexive pronoun myself instead of the object pronoun.
Sometimes, you have the option to use the reflexive pronoun or not to use it. When you use it, it helps to highlight that the subject is doing something by or for themselves, not someone else. For example,
- I built this hut. or I built this hut all by myself.
Other examples are:
- He shaved or He shaved himself.
- I sat down with difficulty. or I sat myself down with difficulty.
- The toddler learnt how to dress. or The toddler learnt how to dress herself.
Here are some more examples of sentences with reflexive pronouns:
- I cut myself while making salad.
- You should educate yourself about the event.
- She saw herself in the mirror.
- He absented himself from the morning class.
- The cat hurt itself.
- We had to help ourselves at the party.
- They amused themselves at the park.
Reflexive pronouns can serve as an object in three cases:
- Direct object: I hurt myself while chopping wood.
- Indirect object: She baked herself some cookies. (Meaning: She baked some cookies for her)
- Object of preposition: He lives by himself in a small apartment.
Form:
Singular pronouns:
- I – myself
- you – yourself
- she – herself
- he – himself
- it – itself
Plural pronouns:
- we – ourselves
- you – yourselves
- they – themselves
