1 Reflexive Pronouns
We use reflexive pronouns in English when we want to emphasize that someone has done something on their own or that it is only about them:
- I did it myself!
- He did it himself!
- We did it ourselves!
How do we use reflexive pronouns in a sentence?
| myself | I wrote it myself. |
| yourself | Did you build this house yourself? |
| himself | He excused himself. |
| herself | She talks about herself all the time. |
| itself | Thise mess is not going to clean itself! |
| ourselves | Don’t worry! We can do it ourselves. |
| yourselves | Did you bake all of these cakes yourselves? |
| themselves | I feel like they are not being themselves lately. |
If we add the preposition BY to the reflexive pronouns, it means the same as the phrase ALONE (without the presence of other people):
- I live by myself.
- My parents like traveling by themselves.
We may often see the following phrases:
- Help yourselves! (take something you want without asking for permission)
- She is not herself. (to behave in an usual way)
- Can you introduce yourself? (tell us who you are)
- Enjoy yourself! (wishing someone to get pleasure from an experience or event)