Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
ourselves, yourselves, themselves. These words are classified or grouped as reflexive depending
on how they are used in sentences. In the examples below the reflexive and intensive pronouns
are in italics.
Intensive pronouns are the same words used to smphasize the subject of the sentence. Intensive
pronouns usually appear right near the subject of the sentence.
Intensive Pronouns
What is an intensive pronoun?
An intensive pronoun is almost identical to a reflexive pronoun. It is defined as a pronoun that ends
inself or selves and places emphasis on its antecedent. You can tell the difference between a
reflexive pronoun and an intensive pronoun easily: Intensive pronouns aren’t essential to a
sentence’s basic meaning. Understanding this basic difference will help to prevent you from
confusing the two.
Himself
Herself
Yourself
Themselves
Ourselves
Intensive pronouns might not be necessary, but they serve the important function of making your
writing more interesting as well as more meaningful, particularly in formal situations. Use them
sparingly to ensure that the emphasis they provide isn’t lost.
Intensive pronouns are used to add emphasis to statements. In the following examples, the intensive
pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification.
Jesse wondered aloud whether he himself was the only one seeing what was happening.
Maria knew that she herself could make a positive impact on the world, if only she put her mind to it.
You yourself can easily transform your body: All it takes is a proper diet and plenty of exercise.
The team knew that they themselves were responsible for playing their best.
We ourselves are the ones who make the greatest impact upon the world we live in.
Myself
Yourself
Ourselves
Yourselves
Themselves
All of the above pronouns are used to rename the subjects of action verbs and function
as different types of objects. If the reflexive pronoun is taken out of the sentence, it
won’t make sense. Let’s look at a few examples.
The following sentences are examples of the correct and incorrect use of reflexive
pronouns.
In this sense the italicized words are not the same person. Him is not a reflection
of Adam therefore it is not a reflexive pronoun.
Here are the italicized words are the same person. Himself reflects back to the subject
of the sentence which is Adam.