Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Let's Learn!

We know what pronouns are, right?

They are the words that "stand in" for nouns. I, me, you, her, him, it, etc.

We know there are subject pronouns and object pronouns.

Today, we are going to learn about two new types of pronouns:

• Reflexive pronouns

• Intensive pronouns

Reflexive pronouns sound like the word reflection. Your reflection is your image in the mirror that bounces back at you. A reflexive pronoun refers to the subject of the sentence.

Example: She hurt herself.

Notice the direct OBJECT (herself) is the same person as the subject (she).

Reflexive pronouns are objects.

• direct objects

• indirect objects

• objects of the preposition

• Reflexive pronouns are NEVER subjects!

Every personal pronoun has its own reflexive form:

• I - myself

• you - yourself/yourselves

• she - herself

• him - himslef

• they - themselves

• it - iself

• we - ourselves

Always and forever remember this:

Hisself is NOT a word! It's himself.

Theirselves is NOT a word! It's themselves.

Multiple Choice

Nate pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

What word in this sentence is a reflexive pronoun?

• Nate

• himself

• he

Multiple Choice

You told yourself a lie.

The reflexive pronoun yourself in this sentence is working as _____.

• the subject

• a direct object

• an indirect object

Multiple Choice

Which sentence has a reflexive pronoun?

• We gave the bread to those who needed it.

• Our mother was her cousin.

• We punished ourselves by eating too much.

So we know that reflexive pronouns end in self/selves

But, intensive pronouns end in this way too, so we have to learn the difference between reflexive and intensive pronouns.

Intensive pronouns look just like reflexive pronouns, but intensive pronouns are only used for emphasis.

• In many cases, the intensive pronoun is right after the word or pronoun that it is modifying, but not always. Example: She herself made that cake!

• Intensive pronouns can be removed from the sentence without affecting the meaning. If you remove a reflexive pronoun, the meaning is changed. Look at the example above. You could take out herself, and the meaning of the sentence does not change.

Multiple Choice

True or false? Intensive pronouns and reflexive pronouns look the same?

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Which type of pronoun is used for emphasis?

• intensive

• reflexive

Examples of sentences with intensive pronouns

• The principal himself gave the award.

• The principal gave the award himself.

• The intensive pronoun himself creates emphasis in this sentence because it tells the reader that it's a big deal that the principal gave the award.

Multiple Choice

I lowered myself to the floor.

This sentence contains a(n) ________ pronoun.

• intensive

• reflexive

Multiple Choice

Lily, standing in front of her, fidgeted impatiently. "I can tie them myself," she complained."

This sentence contains a(n) ______ pronoun.

• intensive

• reflexive

One last thing.... Never, ever use reflexive pronouns in the place of a subject pronoun or an object pronoun

• Alex and myself went to the mall. This is WRONG! It should be Alex and I went to the mall.

• Our teacher gave Demetrius and myself another assignment. This is WRONG! It should be Our teacher gave Demetrius and me another assignment.

Multiple Choice

Which of the folloiwng sentences is correct?

• My mom and myself went to the zoo.

• My mom and I went to the zoo.