Reflexive pronouns ('myself')

Verbs commonly followed by reflexive pronouns: 'I enjoyed myself'

   1)       Myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves and themselves are reflexive pronouns. There aren't many verbs in English which we must always use with reflexive pronouns: absent oneself, avail oneself (of) and pride oneself (on):

Monica absented herself from work. Jim prides himself on his cooking.

   2)       We often use reflexive pronouns with these verbs: amuse, blame, cut, dry, enjoy, hurt, and introduce: I've cut myself with the bread knife.

We can use these verbs without reflexive pronouns if we want to: I've cut my thumb.

We can use object pronouns (me, him, her, etc.) after these verbs only when we refer to

someone else: He amused me (but not *I amused me// cut me: etc.)

Write: Supply the correct reflexive pronouns in the following.

1 I enjoyed…myself…very much at the party.

2 1 see you've cut...................................again. Won't you ever learn how to shave?

3 How did Tom dry..................................? - He used your towel!

4 She has no reason to blame ................................for what has happened.

5 I think that poor dog has hurt..................................

6 'One prides .................................. on one's patience,' the boss said, in his usual pompous manner.

7 We amused .................................. playing football on the beach.

8 Our new neighbours knocked at our door and introduced..................................

9 Sheila prides .................................on her ability to judge people's characters.

10 Bill had to absent .................................. from work when his baby was born.

Verb + reflexive, or not?: 'I've dressed (myself)'

   1)       We sometimes add reflexive pronouns after verbs like dress, hide, shave and wash for emphasis or to show that something has been done with an effort. For example, if we are referring to a child, we might say: Polly's now learnt how to dress herself, but we could also say: Polly has now learnt how to dress. (without herself). The choice is ours.

   2)       Verbs such as get up, sit down, stand up, wake up and get wet, get tired, get dressed, get married  are not normally reflexive in English: I sat down with difficulty.

We might use a reflexive only for emphasis.

I sat myself down with difficulty.

Write: Write these sentences again using reflexive pronouns with the verbs.

1 We didn't know where to hide… We didn't know where to hide ourselves.

2 That kitten now washes every day. .....................................................................................................

3 She's just learning how to dress. ........................................................................................................

4 We sat down and waited. ....................................................................................................................

5 I got wet watering the garden. ............................................................................................................

6 I woke up with a start. .........................................................................................................................

7 Barry has just got engaged. ................................................................................................................

8 Get ready quickly! ...............................................................................................................................

Reflexive pronouns used after prepositions and for emphasis

   1)      We can use reflexive pronouns:

- after a preposition: Look after yourself! Take care of yourself!

- in fixed expressions: strictly between ourselves, just among ourselves, in itself.

   2)      We use object pronouns when we refer to:

- place: Have you got any money on you? (Not 'Have you got any money on yourself?')

- after with (= accompanied by): I brought the children with me. (Not *with myself')

   3)      We use by + reflexive to mean 'without help' or 'alone':

She made the dress by herself. (= without help) She lives by herself. (= alone)

   4)      We sometimes use reflexive pronouns after nouns and pronouns for emphasis to mean 'that personal thing and only that personal thing':

The film itself is very good. You yourself saw it.

The reflexive pronoun can also go at the end of a sentence or clause:

You saw what happened yourself. Or: You yourself saw what happened.

Write: Rewrite these sentences using reflexive pronouns for emphasis.

1 I didn't know about it till yesterday… I didn't know about it myself till yesterday.

2 The building is all right, I think.

........................................................................................

3 You can't do that!

 ........................................................................................

4 I can't fetch it - you fetch it.

 .......................................................................................

5 Don't expect me to do it. Do it!

 ..........................................................................................