Collins Cobuild

Unit 20
Reflexive pronouns
Main points
Reflexive pronouns can be direct or indirect objects.
Most transitive verbs can take a reflexive pronoun as object.
Reflexive pronouns can be the object of a preposition.
Reflexive pronouns can emphasize a noun or pronoun.
1
The reflexive pronouns are:
singular: myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
plural: ourselves yourselves themselves
Note that, unlike ‘you’ and ‘your’, there are two forms for the second
person: ‘yourself’ in the singular and ‘yourselves’ in the plural.
2
You use reflexive pronouns as the direct or indirect object of the verb
when you want to say that the object is the same person or thing as
the subject of the verb in the same clause.
For example, ‘John taught himself’ means that John did the teaching
and was also the person who was taught, and ‘Ann poured herself a

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drink’ means that Ann did the pouring and was also the person that
the drink was poured for.
She stretched herself out on the sofa.
The men formed themselves into a line.
He should give himself more time.
Note that although the subject ‘you’ is omitted in imperatives, you can
still use ‘yourself’ or ‘yourselves’.
Here’s the money, go and buy yourself an ice cream.
3
Most transitive verbs can take a reflexive pronoun.
I blame myself for not paying attention.
He introduced himself to me.
WARNING: Verbs which describe actions that people normally do to
themselves  do  not  take  reflexive  pronouns  in  English,  although  they
do in some other languages.
I usually shave before breakfast.
She washed very quickly and rushed downstairs.
See Unit
53
for more information.
4
You use a reflexive pronoun 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.
I was thoroughly ashamed of myself.
They are making fools of themselves.
Tell me about yourself.
Note  that  you  use  personal  pronouns,  not  reflexive  pronouns,  when
referring to places and after ‘with’ meaning ‘accompanied by’.
You should have your notes in front of you.

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He would have to bring Judy with him.
5
You use reflexive pronouns after nouns or pronouns to emphasize the
person or thing that you are referring to.
The town itself was so small that it didn’t have a bank.
I myself have never read the book.
6
You use a reflexive pronoun at the end of a clause to emphasize that
someone did something without any help from anyone else.
She had printed the card herself.
I’ll take it down to the police station myself.
Did you make these yourself?
7
You use reflexive pronouns with ‘by’ to say:
• that someone does something without any help from other people
…when babies start eating their meals by themselves.
She was certain she could manage by herself.
• that someone is alone
He went off to sit by himself.
I was there for about six months by myself.
You can also use ‘on my own’, ‘on your own’, and so on, to say that
someone is alone or does something without any help.
We were in the park on our own.
They managed to reach the village on their own.
You can use ‘all’ for emphasis.
Did you put those shelves up all by yourself?
We can’t solve this problem all on our own.

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 WARNING:  ‘One  another’  and  ‘each  other’  are  not  reflexive
pronouns.
See Unit
54
for more information on ‘one another’ and ‘each other’.

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