Reflexive and

Intensive
Pronouns
 Some pronouns end
in
Introduction -self or -selves.
Called compound
personal pronouns.
 Reflexive
Pronoun
Reflexive sounds like reflection, the image
in the mirror that bounces back at you.
A reflexive pronoun tells us that whoever
performs the action in a sentence is also
the one on the receiving end of that action.
In other words, the reflexive pronoun
reflects back to the subject.
A reflexive pronoun can be used as the
direct object, indirect object, or object of a
preposition in a sentence.
 EXAMPLE

The puppy saw itself in the

mirror.
Hint:If you're still not sure whom the pronoun is referring to, ask yourself
questions to break down the sentence.
Find the subject (doer) and the verb (action): Who saw? The puppy saw.
(The puppy is doing the action.)

Find the object: What did the puppy see? Itself, the puppy.
(The puppy is also receiving the action.)
 Know When not to Use Reflexive Pronouns ...
Do not use reflexive pronouns instead of subject or object pronouns.
 Intensive
Pronoun
Intensive is like intense.
Something intense is very strong.
An intensive pronoun emphasizes a
preceding noun, which is often (but not
always) the noun immediately before the
pronoun.
Intensive pronouns look exactly the same
as reflexive pronouns, but they are only
used for emphasis.
 EXAMPLE

The queen herself gave the

knight the award.
 EXAMPLE

The queen gave the knight

the award herself.
 Because intensive pronouns are used only for
emphasis, they can be removed from a sentence
without affecting its meaning.
The same is not true of reflexive pronouns, which do
cause a change in meaning when removed from a
sentence.