Reflexive pronouns

Reflexive pronouns

English doesnt really have reflexive verbs

the way that many other languages do.

However, when the same person is the
subject and object of the verb we usually
use areflexive pronoun.

I cut myself shaving this morning.

The subject I is also the object of the

sentence so we use the reflexive

pronoun,myself.
Why dont you buy yourself a new car? This
ones really unreliable.
He looked at himself in the mirror.
She taught herself Italian using a book.

The washing machine switches itself off

when its finished.

We kept ourselves warm around the fire.
Tell me all about yourselves.
Hedgehogs protect themselves from
predators by rolling into a ball.

Enjoy is often used with a reflexive

pronoun.
Did you enjoy yourself at the party?
From their postcard it sounds as if theyre
really enjoying themselves.
By yourself means alone
He lives by himself in a cottage by the sea.
Im rather anti-social. I love being by
myself.

Reflexive pronounscan also be used with

nouns to mean Me (or you/him/her etc)

and nobody else
Did you do this homework yourself or did
you get help?
Did you talk to the manageress herself or
just to one of her assistants?

There is an important difference

betweenreflexive
pronounsandreciprocal pronouns
They looked at themselves in the
mirror.This is reflexive.
They looked at each other lovingly.This is
reciprocal. He looked at her and she looked
at him.

English teacher: Vilson Shehu

- See more at:

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-reference/reflexivepronouns#sthash.veN88slp.dpuf