Page 206 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself etc

/ —► myself you —► yourself he —> himself she ■> herself it —> itself
we —>■ ourselves you —>■ yourselves they —>- themselves

We use myself, yourself etc when an object is the same person/thing as the subject.

I cut myself shaving this morning. (NOT I cut me...) We must ask ourselves some questions.
He tried to kill himself. (Different from He tried to kill him.)

Circle the correct answer.

1 She doesn't love him/himself. 4 I'm going out tonight, so you will all have to

2 She likes looking at her/herself in the mirror. cook for yourself/yourselves.
3 Old people often talk to them/themselves. 5 I like Bill, but I don't understand him/himself.

Put in myself, yourself etc.
1 I'm teaching........................to play the guitar. 5 Mary talks about........................all the time.

2 'Who's John talking to?' ...................... 6 Find chairs fo r........................and sit down.
3 Get a drink fo r....................... 7 Theyjust want to make money fo r................
4 We really enjoyed........................last night.

We can also use myself etc to em p h a s i s e - to say'that person/thing and nobody/nothing else'.

It's best if you do it yourself. I want to speak to the manager himself, not his secretary.

^ Put in myself, yourself etc.

1 Did you cut your hair.........................................? 4 Can you repair this, or must we do it

2 Peter and Ann built their house.......................... .........................................................................
3 I answer all my letters.............................................. 5 We got a letter from the Queen.............

Note the difference between ourselves etc Q Each other or -selves?
and each other. 1 Henry and Barbara write to ..............................

every week.
2 Joe and Pat have bought a flat
fo r.................................
3 Do you and Julia te ll.................................
everything?
They're looking at themselves.
4 You'll need photos o f..................................for
your passports.
5 Ruth and I have known.................................
for years.

They're looking at each other.

GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY: some common expressions with reflexive pronouns
by myself/yourselfe tc (= 'alone') enjoy myself/yourselfe tc Take care of yourself.
Help yourself. (= 'Take what you want.') Make yourself comfortable.

In some answers, both contracted forms (for example I'm, don't) and full PERSONAL PRONOUNS; POSSESSIVES 191
forms (for example / am, do not) are possible. Normally both are correct.