Home of English Grammar

Free Guide (Updated for 2022)

  • Home
  • Download Lessons
  • Grammar Rules
  • Online Exercises
  • Online Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Word Counter
  • Guides
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Lessons / Note on reflexive pronouns

Note on reflexive pronouns

March 15, 2012 - pdf

By myself / yourself

The expression by myself / yourself etc., is used to mean ‘alone’ or ‘without help.’

  • I can solve this problem by myself. (= I can solve this problem without help.)
  • She likes to spend time by herself. (= She likes to be alone.)

My own, your own etc

Reflexive pronouns do not have a possessive form. For example, we cannot say: himself’s photos or herself’s books. Instead, we use an expression with own.

  • He cooks his own meals. (NOT He cooks himself’s meals.)
  • She designs her own clothes. (NOT She designs herself’s clothes.)

Verbs not used with reflexives

Certain verbs are not usually used with reflexive pronouns. Examples are: wash, dress, concentrate, feel, strange and shave

  • He shaves every day. (NOT He shaves himself every day.)
  • Hurry! (NOT Hurry yourself!)

But reflexives are used when it is necessary to make it clear who does the action.

  • The barber shaves people who don’t shave themselves. (NOT The barber shaves people who don’t shave.)
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
1,127,749 
204,696 

Check Your Grammar

GrammarCheck.net - Try online
Hint → Bookmark GrammarCheck for future use.

Latest Exercises

  • Conjunctions Exercise July 2, 2022
  • Gap Filling Exercise June 29, 2022
  • General Grammar Exercise June 28, 2022
  • Will vs. Would June 26, 2022
  • See vs. Look vs. Watch June 23, 2022
  • General Grammar Exercise June 21, 2022
  • Tenses Gap Filling Exercise June 21, 2022
  • Gap Filling Exercise June 20, 2022
  • Subject Verb Agreement Exercise June 20, 2022

Topics

  • Adjectives
  • Adverbs
  • Business Writing
  • Commas
  • Conjunctions
  • Creative Writing
  • Difference
  • Essay Writing
  • Exercises
  • Learning
  • Lessons
  • Nouns
  • Prepositions
  • Pronouns
  • Proofreading
  • Punctuation
  • Quiz
  • Spelling
  • Style Guide
  • Teaching
  • Terms
  • Verbs
  • Words
  • Writing

Quiz

  • Can you correct these 14 basic grammar mistakes?
  • What kind of writer are you?

Copyright © 2022 · EnglishGrammar.org
Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Sitemap