Exposition:Reflexive Pronouns

3. A reflexive pronoun is a type of pronoun that is preceded by the adverb, adjective, pronoun, or
noun to which it refers, so long as that antecedent is located within the same clause. In English
grammar, a reflexive pronoun indicates that the person who is realizing the action of the verb is
also the recipient of the action. While this
might seem strange at first glance, the
following examples of reflexive pronouns and
the accompanying list of reflexive pronouns
will help you gain thorough understanding. In
fact, you will probably notice that you yourself
use reflexive pronouns frequently when
speaking or writing.
Reflexive pronouns are used when the
object is the same as the subject. For
example, in the sentence "he hurt himself", he and himself refer to the same person. Reflexive
pronouns are also used for emphasis. In this case, they are referred to as intensive pronouns.
For example, in the sentence "I spoke to the president himself", the speaker emphasizes that
he spoke to the president personally NOT somebody else.
PERSONAL
PRONOUN
REFLEXIVE
PRONOUN
EXAMPLES
I MYSELF

4. YOU
(SINGULAR)
YOURSELF
YOU
(PLURAL) YOURSELVES
HE HIMSELF
SHE HERSELF

5. IT ITSELF
WE OURSELVES
THEY THEMSELVES
1. When the subject and the object refer to the same person or thing.

6.  He accidentally cut himself while he was chopping the vegetables.
 She bought a present for herself.
 We helped ourselves to the free drinks at the launch party.
 They injured themselves during the rugby match.
 I enjoyed myself at the concert.
 The dog is scratching itself – it must have fleas!

2. As the object of a preposition, when the object of the preposition refers to the same
person or thing as the subject of the verb in the same clause.
 She did it by herself.
 That man is talking to himself.
3. When you want to emphasize that someone did something withoutany help from any one else.
 I´ll do it myself. (No-one else will help me.)
 They ate all the food themselves.(No-one else had any.)
4. You use reflexive pronouns with ‘by’ to say:
 That someone does something without help from other people.
 … When babies start eating their meals by themselves.
 She was sure she could manage by herself.
5. You use reflexive pronouns in some common expressions.
 Behave yourselves! (¡Compórtate bien!)
 PlayHelp yourself. (Sírvete tú mismo.)
 PlayMake yourself at home. (Siéntete como en tu propia casa.)
6.-You use reflexive pronouns for politeness.
 We sometimes use reflexive pronouns instead of personal pronouns for politeness, but
not as the subject of a clause:
 The National Trust is a charity depending on the support of people like yourself. (or …
people like you.)

7. NOTE: Most transitive verbs can take a reflexive pronoun.
NOTE: The subject is known as the antecedent of the reflexive pronoun.
 I blame myself for not paying attention.
 He introduced himself to me.
We don´t normally use a reflexive pronoun after washed/shave/dress/
feel/relax/concentrate/meet because those verbs describe actions that people normally do
to themselves.
 He got up, washed, shaved and dressed. (Not washed himself etc.)
 You can also say get dressed (He got dressed)
 I feel nervous. I can´t relax.
 You must try and concentrate.(not concentrate yourself)
 What time shall we meet? (not meet ourselves, not meet us)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/reflexive_pronouns.htm
http://grammartips.homestead.com/self.html
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/reflex.htm}
http://es.slideshare.net/pietvanderlaan/reflexive-pronouns-14537702
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/pronouns-reflexive-myself-themselves-
etc
http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-reflexive-pronouns.php
http://www.grammar.cl/Notes/Reflexive_Pronouns.htm
http://www.curso-ingles.com/gramatica-inglesa/pronombres-reflexivos.php