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Reflexive pronouns might look tricky at first, but they’re actually easy once you get the hang of them. In this guide, you’ll learn what reflexive pronouns are, how to use them correctly, and see clear examples to help you feel more confident.
Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of a sentence. They’re easy to spot because they end in either ‘self’ or ‘selves’. Let’s start by learning them.
So, here’s a list of all the reflexive pronouns you need to learn.
| Subject Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun |
|---|---|
| I | myself |
| you (singular) | yourself |
| he | himself |
| she | herself |
| it | itself |
| we | ourselves |
| you (plural) | yourselves |
| they | themselves |
Reflexive pronouns can be singular or plural, and it’s easy to tell which is which. If a reflexive pronoun ends in self, it is singular. If it ends in selves, it is plural. The subject and the object must always match in number and person for the sentence to be correct.
For example, we say herself when the subject is singular, but themselves when the subject is plural. Keeping the subject and reflexive pronoun in agreement is an important part of using them correctly.
Here’s some more examples:
An important point to remember is this: if you remove the reflexive pronoun from a sentence, it won’t make sense. I’ll show you what I mean…
Let’s look at the sentence:
“I’ve given a few more hours to finish the invoices.”
Given who a few more hours? The sentence doesn’t make sense without a reflexive pronoun.
Let’s include the reflexive pronoun, and it will become a perfectly functioning sentence.
For example:
I’ve given myself a few more hours to finish the invoices.
Sentences can use either reflexive or non-reflexive pronouns, depending on whether the subject and object are the same or different.
For example:
Understanding this difference helps you use reflexive pronouns correctly in your sentences.
Here’s a few more examples for you.
| Reflexive Pronouns | Non-reflexive Pronouns |
|---|---|
| We blame ourselves. | We blame them. |
| She taught herself. | She taught him. |
| They prepared themselves. | They prepared us. |
| I reminded myself. | I reminded you. |
| He hurt himself. | He hurt him. |
| You should be proud of yourselves. | You should be proud of them. |
Below are some reflexive pronoun examples to help you understand how they work in real life. Each example comes with a relatable, real-life picture to make it even easier to remember. Take a look and see how reflexive pronouns reflect the action back to the subject!
I’m so proud of myself.
You should be ashamed of yourself for picking on younger kids.
You should be ashamed of yourself for picking on younger kids.
She can’t dance. She’s embarrassing herself.
Thank goodness the weather is behaving itself.
We are pleased with ourselves for making Mum a lovely cake.
Don’t you go hurting yourselves up there.
They must have enjoyed themselves at the playground.
Ready to test yourself on reflexive pronouns? These fun quizzes will help you practise what you’ve learned and see how much you really know. Give them a go and challenge yourself! And don’t forget to visit my YouTube channel for even more grammar quizzes and practise exercises.
For an extra challenge, try making the sentences non-reflexive.
Looking for more ways to improve your English? Visit mingle-ish.com for more grammar guides and fun quizzes to practise at your own pace, boost your confidence, and enjoy learning. Here are just a few topics you can explore:
There’s plenty more waiting for you — see how much you can learn today!