Reflexive Pronouns – What Is A Reflexive Pronoun With Examples English

Reflexive Pronouns – In this full tutorial for beginners’ learners are going to learn what is reflexive pronoun that ends with self with examples and exercises in English. When the subject and object of a sentence are the same, reflexive pronouns are employed.

Reflexive Pronouns - What Is A Reflexive Pronoun With Examples English
Reflexive Pronouns – What Is A Reflexive Pronoun With Examples English

The definition and table that follow provide a guide that summarizes the fundamental application of reflexive pronouns. Keep reading for an expanded and more in-depth explanation of the rules, as well as illustrations of how and when those rules should be applied.

What is a Reflexive Pronoun?

When the subject and the object of a sentence are the same, you use a reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns show that the subject is doing something to itself or by itself. Instead of doing something to something else, the subject is doing something to itself, either literally or symbolically.

Reflexive Pronouns Examples

According to Home English, REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS show that the object of the action is the same as the subject. Here are Pronouns that ends with self.

Reflexive Pronouns Examples

“Self” Form of Pronouns

The word self can be used in two ways; emphatic use and reflexive use. Hence, these words are sometimes referred to as emphatic pronoun or reflexive pronoun.

Reflexive use:  They hurt themselves.
The man shot himself.

Emphatic use:  They themselves did it.
He himself did it.

It can be seen that reflexive use is used as the object of the verb, but the emphatic use is used to precede the word to emphasize that the person is not. Others like “He himself did it.”

In addition to using the word “self” following the adjective, we may place the word – self at the end of the sentence,

Example:  He himself did it.
He did it himself.

However, it is popular that the first sentence is better that the latter.

Reflexive Pronoun Exercise

Direction: Supply the pronoun form.

Reflexive use.

1. She fell and hurt____________.
2. We protect____________ from the rain with an umbrella.
3. I hurt ____________ when trying that bicycle.
4. He enjoyed____________ at the party.
5. He shot____________in an accident.
6. The boy amused ____________ with the kitten.
7. She cut____________with a knife.
8. I blame____________ for all that trouble.
9. Ladda likes to look at ____________ in the mirror.
10. The priest shaves____________ every fortnight.
11. Did they enjoy ____________ at the party last night?
12. My daughter is not old enough to dress ___________.
13. I couldn’t dress ____________when I was two years old.
14. The dog hurt ____________when it jumped over a fence.
15. You shouldn’t really blame___________ for that mistake.
Reflexive use.

Emphatic Use.
Example:  Dang did it.
AnswerDang himself did it.

16. Dang will do it.
17. Ladda will do it.
18. They will do it.
19. She saw him enter the house.
20. The policeman shot the thief.
21. The Premier will deliver the principal address.
22. She said they would be responsible for the debt.
23. The detective committed the murder.
24. They will provide the money.
25. You must speak to the director for all that happened.
Emphatic Use.

By  +  “-Self” Form

By + self (alone, without help)

He prefers to study by himself.

I did all the work myself.

By  +  “-Self” Form Exercise

Time needed: 3 minutes

Direction: Use the “self-form” or pronouns that end with self in the following sentences.
Example: He went for a walk alone.
Answer:   He went for a walk by himself.

  1. They did their work alone.

  2. I don’t like to go to the movies alone.

  3. The old man lives in the hut alone.

  4. John works alone in the underground office.

  5. Do you like to eat alone.

  6. Ladda prefers to go shopping alone.

  7. Dang made this table without anyone’s help.

  8. My dog likes wandering in the garden alone.

  9. He plans to carry on the work alone.

  10. That girl sat alone in a corner all the time during the party.        

By  +  “-Self” Form Exercise Answers

1. They did their work by themselves.

2. I don’t like to go to the movies by myself.

3. The old man lives in the hut by himself.

4. John works by himself in the underground office.

5. Do you like to eat by yourself?

6. Ladda prefers to go shopping by herself.

7. Dang made this table by herself without anyone’s help.

8. My dog likes wandering by itself in the garden alone.

9. He plans to carry on the work by himself.

10. That girl sat by herself in a corner all the time during the party.

Prepared by;
Javelyn E. Villanueva
Foreign Teacher

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