A2 Pronouns 15 min read Easy

English Reflexive Pronouns (myself, yourself)

Reflexive pronouns show the subject both performs and receives the action, making sentences clear.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use reflexive pronouns when the person doing the action is also the person receiving the action.

  • Use '-self' for one person: 'I see myself' (max 20 words)
  • Use '-selves' for many people: 'We see ourselves'
  • Use 'by' to mean alone: 'I am by myself'
Subject (👤) + Verb (👉) + Reflexive Pronoun (🪞)

Overview

Words like myself and yourself show who does the action.

They make sentences clear. They show you do something to yourself.

She helped her is two people. She helped herself is one.

These words help you talk about actions clearly.

How This Grammar Works

Use these words when the same person does the action.
He saw him means two men. He saw himself means one.
This helps people understand you. You will not confuse them.
The cat licked its paw. The paw is a different thing.
The cat licked itself. The cat and itself are the same.
These words are important. Use them after words like wash or cut.
I teach myself means I learn alone. Use self or selves.
These words help you avoid mistakes. Your English will be clear.

Formation Pattern

1
Use self for one person. Use selves for many people.
2
Use self for one person or one thing.
3
I becomes myself (from my + self)
4
You becomes yourself.
5
He becomes himself (from him + self)
6
She becomes herself (from her + self)
7
It becomes itself (from it + self)
8
For many people, use selves. The f changes to v.
9
We becomes ourselves (from our + selves)
10
You for many people becomes yourselves.
11
They becomes themselves (from them + selves)
12
Spelling is important. Do not write selfs. Always write selves.
13
Here is a list of these words.
14
First word | Second word
15
| :-------------- | :---------------- |
16
| I | myself |
17
| You (singular) | yourself |
18
| He | himself |
19
| She | herself |
20
| It | itself |
21
| We | ourselves |
22
| You (plural) | yourselves |
23
| They | themselves |

When To Use It

These words have different uses. Here are the main ways.
1. Reflexive Action (Subject = Object)
Use them when you do something to you.
You must use these words. The sentence needs them.
  • She accidentally cut herself while cooking. (The subject she performed the action cut on herself.)
  • I need to prepare myself for the interview. (The subject I will prepare myself.)
  • The children enjoyed themselves at the park. (The subject children enjoyed their own experience.)
Use them with words like cut, help, or wash.
Use the word by with them. It means you are alone.
The words by myself mean alone. I have no help.
  • I prefer to study by myself in the library. (This means I study alone, without others.)
  • He managed to fix the bicycle by himself. (This indicates he fixed it without anyone's help.)
  • The kids can entertain themselves by themselves for an hour. (They can play independently.)
This shows you are alone. On my own is the same.
3. For extra focus
These words show someone did the action. You can remove them. The sentence still makes sense.
  • The CEO himself responded to my email. (This highlights that it was the CEO, not an assistant, who replied.)
  • Did you bake this cake yourself? (This emphasizes your personal effort in baking the cake.)
  • We decorated the entire house ourselves. (This stresses that no professional help was hired.)
Put the word after the name or at the end. It shows someone did a special thing.
4. Common phrases
English has many set phrases. These phrases use these words often.
  • Help yourself (to something): meaning 'take something without asking permission'. For example, Please help yourself to more coffee.
  • Make yourself at home: meaning 'act as if you are in your own home; be comfortable'. For example, Come in and make yourselves at home.
  • Behave yourself: meaning 'act properly'. For example, The children need to behave themselves at the restaurant.
  • Enjoy yourself: meaning 'have a good time'. For example, I hope you enjoyed yourself at the concert.
Learn these phrases as one group. They make you sound natural.
5. Referring to Animals and Inanimate Objects
Use itself for things or animals. Use it for unknown animals.
  • The cat groomed itself after eating. (The gender of the cat is not specified, so itself is appropriate.)
  • The automatic door closed itself silently. (The inanimate object door performed an action on itself.)
  • The computer fixed itself after the update. (Referring to a self-repairing mechanism.)
Use this for groups too. Use himself or herself for pets.

Common Mistakes

Good speakers make mistakes too. Let us look at common errors.
1. Using the wrong word
Only use myself when you do it to yourself. Use me for other people.
  • Incorrect: He gave the book to myself.
  • Correct: He gave the book to me.
  • Explanation: He is the giver, and me is the receiver. They are two different entities. The action of giving is not directed back to he himself.
  • Incorrect: Please send the email to John and myself.
  • Correct: Please send the email to John and me.
  • Explanation: John and me are the recipients of the email. You are not sending the email to myself; someone else (you, the implied subject of send) is sending it to me. When referring to a group that includes yourself as an object, use me.
2. Using me when you need myself
Sometimes people use the wrong word. Use myself if you do the action to yourself.
  • Incorrect: I saw me in the mirror.
  • Correct: I saw myself in the mirror.
  • Explanation: I am both the viewer and the one being seen. The action of seeing reflects back to I.
  • Incorrect: She hurt her playing sports. (This implies she hurt another female person.)
  • Correct: She hurt herself playing sports.
  • Explanation: The subject she caused injury to herself. The action hurt was self-directed.
3. Incorrect Plural Forms
For more than one person, change f to v. Say ourselves, not ourselfs.
  • Incorrect: They enjoyed themselfs at the party.
  • Correct: They enjoyed themselves at the party.
  • Incorrect: You (plural) should prepare yourselfs for the exam.
  • Correct: You should prepare yourselves for the exam.
Say themselves, not theirselves. Do not use wrong words in school.
4. Using the word too much
Words like wash or dress mean you do it alone. You do not need extra words.
  • Less common/needs emphasis: I wash myself every morning.
  • Natural: I wash every morning. (The myself is usually redundant; it's understood you wash your own body.)
  • Explanation: Using myself here often implies a specific emphasis, perhaps to contrast with being washed by someone else, or to highlight a thorough cleaning. Otherwise, it is typically omitted.
  • Less common/needs emphasis: He shaves himself before work.
  • Natural: He shaves before work. (Unless contrasting with a barber shaving him, himself is unnecessary.)
Do not use these words with wash or dress. It sounds better without them.

Real Conversations

Reflexive pronouns are deeply embedded in authentic English communication across various contexts, from casual exchanges to more formal settings. Observing their use in modern scenarios helps solidify your understanding of their natural application.

Texting/Social Media:

- I treated myself to that new game. #selfcare (myself shows the action of treating was directed back at the speaker, a personal reward.)

- We found ourselves in a bit of a tricky situation. (ourselves describes the group's current state or predicament, often implying an unexpected discovery.)

- Feeling proud of myself after finishing that challenging project! (A common expression of personal accomplishment, where pride is directed inward.)

Casual Conversation (Friends/Family):

- Did you enjoy yourself at the party last night? (This is a standard polite inquiry about someone's personal experience, using yourself in a fixed expression.)

- My little brother can finally dress himself now. (This highlights the achievement of independent action, a significant developmental milestone.)

- We're going to introduce ourselves to the new neighbors this weekend. (ourselves signifies a group action where each member will perform the introduction, acting as a collective.)

Workplace Communication (Emails/Meetings):

- Please feel free to help yourselves to coffee and snacks in the break room. (A polite invitation for attendees to serve themselves, utilizing the plural yourselves.)

- The team really pushed themselves to meet the deadline. (Here, themselves emphasizes the collective effort and self-motivation of the team, highlighting their dedication.)

- I'll remind myself to schedule that follow-up meeting. (myself indicates an internal mental action, a self-reminder, ensuring personal responsibility.)

These examples illustrate that reflexive pronouns are not confined to academic texts but are vital tools for expressing nuanced self-referential actions, emphasis, and states in everyday interactions. Their use contributes to the natural flow and precision of English communication, reflecting the dynamic nature of how individuals and groups interact with their own experiences and actions.

Quick FAQ

Q: Can I use myself as a substitute for I or me for politeness or formality?

No. This is a common grammatical error. While you might occasionally hear native speakers use myself in contexts like John and myself will be attending or They invited Mary and myself, this is incorrect in standard English. Reflexive pronouns should only be used when the subject and object are the same, or for emphasis. For a compound subject, use I (John and I will be attending). For a compound object, use me (They invited Mary and me). Using myself here does not add politeness or formality; it simply introduces a grammatical error.

Q: Is the phrase one's self correct?

Yes, one's self is the correct reflexive pronoun for the indefinite pronoun one. For example, One should always believe in one's self. or To be truly content, one must find happiness within one's self. While less common in casual conversation, it is grammatically correct in more formal or philosophical contexts where one is used to refer to people in general.

Q: Is hisself a real word? I sometimes hear it.

No, hisself is not a standard English word and is considered grammatically incorrect. The correct form is himself. Similarly, theirselves is also non-standard; the correct form is themselves. These forms are dialectal or non-standard variations and should be avoided in formal or standard English communication.

Q: Why do I often see itself used for animals instead of himself or herself?

The use of itself for animals follows the general rule for the pronoun it. When an animal's gender is unknown, irrelevant, or not specified, it and consequently itself are used. For example, The bird preened itself. However, if the animal is a beloved pet and its gender is known, speakers often use personal pronouns (he/she) and their corresponding reflexive pronouns (himself/herself). For instance, My cat, Fluffy, often grooms herself. This distinction depends on how the speaker perceives and refers to the animal.

Q: How are the two ways to use them different?

The form of the pronoun is identical (e.g., myself, yourself). The distinction lies in their function and grammatical necessity. A reflexive pronoun is grammatically essential because the action of the verb is directed back at the subject; removing it would make the sentence ungrammatical or change its core meaning (e.g., She hurt herself.). An emphatic pronoun is used purely for emphasis, stressing that the subject performed the action. It can usually be removed from the sentence without affecting its grammatical correctness, though the emphasis will be lost (e.g., The director himself approved the plan. can become The director approved the plan.).

Personal Pronouns to Reflexive Pronouns

Subject Pronoun Reflexive (Singular) Reflexive (Plural)
I
myself
-
You
yourself
yourselves
He
himself
-
She
herself
-
It
itself
-
We
-
ourselves
They
-
themselves

Meanings

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same entity. They indicate that the action 'reflects' back to the doer.

1

Reflexive Use

The standard use where the subject and object are identical.

“He cut himself while cooking.”

“The cat cleans itself.”

2

Emphatic Use

Used to emphasize that a specific person did something, often without help.

“I will do it myself!”

“The Queen herself opened the hospital.”

3

Solitary Use (By + Reflexive)

Used with the preposition 'by' to mean 'alone' or 'without help'.

“She lives by herself in London.”

“I went to the cinema by myself.”

Reference Table

Reference table for English Reflexive Pronouns (myself, yourself)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subject + Verb + Reflexive
I hurt myself.
Negative
Subject + do not + Verb + Reflexive
He doesn't trust himself.
Question
Do + Subject + Verb + Reflexive?
Do you see yourself?
Emphatic
Subject + Reflexive + Verb
I myself saw it.
Solitary
Subject + Verb + by + Reflexive
She lives by herself.
Imperative
Verb + yourself/yourselves
Help yourself!

Formality Spectrum

Formal
One must complete the task oneself.

One must complete the task oneself. (Work/Achievement)

Neutral
I did the project myself.

I did the project myself. (Work/Achievement)

Informal
I did it all by myself!

I did it all by myself! (Work/Achievement)

Slang
I crushed it solo.

I crushed it solo. (Work/Achievement)

The Mirror Rule

Reflexive Pronoun

Singular

  • myself I
  • yourself You
  • himself He

Plural

  • ourselves We
  • themselves They

Object vs. Reflexive

Object Pronoun
I see him Two people
Reflexive Pronoun
I see myself One person (Mirror)
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Examples by Level

1

I see myself.

2

Be careful! Don't hurt yourself.

3

He washes himself.

4

We love ourselves.

1

She made herself a sandwich.

2

They live by themselves.

3

Did you do your homework yourself?

4

The cat cleaned itself for an hour.

1

I taught myself to play the guitar.

2

Please help yourselves to some food.

3

He was talking to himself on the bus.

4

The computer will restart itself.

1

They found themselves in a difficult situation.

2

The movie itself was good, but the music was bad.

3

She prides herself on her punctuality.

4

We need to ask ourselves if this is right.

1

One should not be too hard on oneself.

2

The problem eventually resolved itself.

3

He is not quite himself today.

4

They were beside themselves with joy.

1

The architecture is a world unto itself.

2

He had to compose himself before the speech.

3

The truth will manifest itself in time.

4

She was a law unto herself.

Easily Confused

English Reflexive Pronouns (myself, yourself) vs Reflexive vs. Reciprocal

Learners confuse 'themselves' (acting on themselves) with 'each other' (acting on one another).

Common Mistakes

✗

I see me in the mirror.

✓

I see myself in the mirror.

When the subject is 'I', the object must be 'myself'.
✗

He wash him.

✓

He washes himself.

If he is washing his own body, use 'himself'.
✗

They did it theirselves.

✓

They did it themselves.

'Theirselves' is not a word. The correct plural is 'themselves'.
✗

We cooked dinner by ourself.

✓

We cooked dinner by ourselves.

'We' is plural, so you must use the plural '-selves'.
✗

Myself and John went to the store.

✓

John and I went to the store.

A reflexive pronoun cannot be the subject of a sentence.

Sentence Patterns

I ___ myself ___.

He/She did it by ___.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

Just a little gift to myself! #shopping

Job Interviews common

I taught myself how to use Excel.

Cooking/Recipes common

Be careful not to burn yourself.

Tech Support occasional

The app will update itself automatically.

Travel common

I'm traveling by myself this summer.

Doctor's Office common

How did you hurt yourself?

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💡

The Mirror Test

If you can replace the pronoun with 'the same person', use a reflexive. 'I see [the same person] in the mirror' -> myself.
⚠️

No 'Theirselves'

Even if you hear it in songs or movies, 'theirselves' is incorrect. Always use 'themselves'.
🎯

By = Alone

Using 'by myself' is the most natural way to say you were alone in casual English.
💬

Self-Care

The modern use of 'myself' often appears in 'self-care' contexts, emphasizing doing things for your own mental health.

Smart Tips

Try the sentence with just the pronoun. If 'I' is the subject, use 'myself'.

He gave it to John and myself. → He gave it to John and me.

Use 'by' + reflexive for a more natural, native sound.

I ate dinner alone. → I ate dinner by myself.

Pronunciation

/maɪˈself/

Stress on 'self'

In reflexive pronouns, the stress usually falls on the second syllable (-self/-selves).

Emphatic Stress

I did it MYSELF.

The stress on 'myself' emphasizes that no one else helped.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: If the subject and object are the same, 'self' is the name of the game!

Visual Association

Imagine a person looking into a mirror. The person outside is the 'Subject', and the reflection in the mirror is the 'Reflexive Pronoun'. They are the same person.

Rhyme

I, me, myself in the mirror I see; We, us, ourselves, as happy as can be!

Story

Little Timmy wanted to bake a cake. His mom said 'No,' but Timmy did it himself. He was by himself in the kitchen. He accidentally burnt himself, but he was proud of himself anyway.

Word Web

myselfyourselfhimselfherselfitselfourselvesthemselves

Challenge

Look in a mirror and say three things you did today using 'myself'. (e.g., 'I made myself coffee.')

Cultural Notes

The phrase 'Treat yourself' became a massive cultural meme from the show 'Parks and Recreation,' encouraging people to indulge in self-care.

In some British dialects, you might hear 'hisself' or 'theirselves,' but these are considered non-standard and should be avoided in exams.

Using 'myself' instead of 'me' or 'I' in business emails is a common 'prestige' error. It's better to stay simple.

From Old English 'self', used as an adjective meaning 'same'.

Conversation Starters

“

What is something you taught yourself to do?

“

Do you prefer traveling with friends or by yourself?

Journal Prompts

Write about a time you were very proud of yourself.
Describe your morning routine. What do you do for yourself every day?

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.

I bought ___ a new book.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: myself
The subject is 'I', so the reflexive is 'myself'.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

The children finished the puzzle by ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: themselves
'Children' is plural, and 'themselves' is the correct plural form.
Find the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

She lives by herselves in a small apartment.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: herselves
'She' is singular, so it should be 'herself'.
Rewrite the sentence using a reflexive pronoun. Sentence Transformation

I went to the park alone. -> I went to the park by ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: myself
'By myself' means 'alone'.
Match the subject to the reflexive. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ourselves
'We' matches with 'ourselves'.
Reflexive or Object? Multiple Choice

David is looking at ___ in the mirror.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: himself
Since David is looking at his own reflection, use 'himself'.
Plural check.

You and your brother must clean the room ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: yourselves
The subject is 'You' (plural), so use 'yourselves'.
Emphasis check. Multiple Choice

The President ___ gave me the award.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: himself
This is the emphatic use of the reflexive pronoun.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.

I bought ___ a new book.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: myself
The subject is 'I', so the reflexive is 'myself'.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

The children finished the puzzle by ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: themselves
'Children' is plural, and 'themselves' is the correct plural form.
Find the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

She lives by herselves in a small apartment.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: herselves
'She' is singular, so it should be 'herself'.
Rewrite the sentence using a reflexive pronoun. Sentence Transformation

I went to the park alone. -> I went to the park by ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: myself
'By myself' means 'alone'.
Match the subject to the reflexive. Match Pairs

We

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ourselves
'We' matches with 'ourselves'.
Reflexive or Object? Multiple Choice

David is looking at ___ in the mirror.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: himself
Since David is looking at his own reflection, use 'himself'.
Plural check.

You and your brother must clean the room ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: yourselves
The subject is 'You' (plural), so use 'yourselves'.
Emphasis check. Multiple Choice

The President ___ gave me the award.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: himself
This is the emphatic use of the reflexive pronoun.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Choose the correct form Fill in the Blank

The company prides ___ on its customer service.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: itself
Choose the correct form Fill in the Blank

Children, please make sure you behave ___ during the trip.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: yourselves
Find and fix the mistake Error Correction

My friend and myself are going to the concert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My friend and I are going to the concert.
Find and fix the mistake Error Correction

The cat saw it in the mirror.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The cat saw itself in the mirror.
Which sentence is correct? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I bought myself a new laptop.
Which sentence is correct? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Please give the documents to Sarah and me.
Type the correct English sentence Translation

Translate into English: 'Ella se vistió para la fiesta.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["She dressed herself for the party.","She dressed for the party."]
Type the correct English sentence Translation

Translate into English: 'Me preparo el café por la mañana.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["I make myself coffee in the morning."]
Put the words in order Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Maria taught herself to play the guitar
Put the words in order Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They enjoyed themselves in the park
Match each subject with its correct reflexive pronoun Match Pairs

Match the subjects with the correct form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Match each subject with its correct reflexive pronoun Match Pairs

Match the subjects with the correct form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

No. You should never say `Myself did it.` Always use `I` for the subject. Reflexives only appear as objects or for emphasis.

`Themselves` means they are doing it to their own bodies/minds. `Each other` means Person A does it to Person B, and Person B does it to Person A.

No, it is a common error. The only correct plural form for 'they' is `themselves`.

Usually, no. In English, we assume you wash yourself. You only use `myself` if you want to emphasize that you did it without help (e.g., after an injury).

It means 'alone' or 'without anyone else'.

No, `itself` is only for animals, objects, or abstract ideas.

It's a historical quirk! Some reflexives use the possessive (my, your, our) and some use the object form (him, them). You just have to memorize them.

Yes. If you are talking to one person, use `yourself`. If you are talking to two or more, use `yourselves`.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

se / mismo

English doesn't use reflexives for standard daily routines like 'sitting down'.

French moderate

se / même

French reflexives are often mandatory parts of the verb.

German high

sich

English has a unique reflexive form for every person, whereas German reuses object pronouns for 'me' and 'you'.

Japanese low

jibun (自分)

English reflexives must match the subject's person and number exactly.

Arabic moderate

nafs (نفس)

Arabic treats the reflexive as a noun + possessive construction.

Chinese moderate

zìjǐ (自己)

English requires specific endings for singular vs. plural.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Possessive Pronouns: mine, yours, theirs

Learn These First

A1 Builds On

English Subject Pronouns (I, you, he...)

Overview Subject pronouns are words like `I`, `you`, `he`, and `she`. They tell you who is doing an action. You use them...

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