1. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College The Grammar Business Reflexive pronouns: when not to use them

2. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 2 Reflexive pronouns are myself yourself himself/herself itself yourselves ourselves themselves

3. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 3 They refer back to the subject of the sentence I am not so sure myself. She herself has no idea who her father is. He dressed himself carefully. We didn’t arrive ourselves until much, much later. You think I’m beautiful? You’re beautiful yourself.

4. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 4 Common error Using the reflexive pronoun instead of the personal pronoun as the object of the sentence e.g. He gave it to myself Which should be “He gave it to me.”

5. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 5 So it’s wrong to say Jane was very sure of myself It doesn’t make sense. Jane can be sure of herself, but not of myself. The reflexive pronoun has to agree with the subject of the sentence, which in this case, is Jane.

6. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 6 It is correct to say Jane was very sure of herself - and very sure of me. She was fooling herself actually, but she wasn’t fooling me. That’s what I told myself at the time. Later, it transpired that we had both, to some extent, been deceiving ourselves.

7. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 7 And it is correct to say My friend and I went out on Saturday. But not My friend and myself went out on Saturday.

8. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 8 What’s wrong with this one? He gave a check to her and to myself.

9. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 9 It should be He gave a check to her and to me.

10. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 10 Correct the following sentences, then compare what you’ve got with the answers on the next slide He hit her, but neither myself, nor Jeremy. The Prime Minister has informed myself of the seriousness of the situation. The slug has slimed itself and myself too. The King and myself are delighted to meet yourselves. He has informed himself but not yourselves of the situation.

11. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 11 Answers below He hit her, but neither me, nor Jeremy. The Prime Minister has informed me of the seriousness of the situation. The slug has slimed itself and me too. The King and I are delighted to meet you. He has informed himself but not you of the situation.

12. The Grammar Business © 2001 Glenrothes College 12 Health warning: Grammatical rules tend to change through common usage in speech, it is becoming more common to use the reflexive pronoun (myself) instead of the personal pronoun (me) to add emphasis so you may well hear: “The offer was extended to myself.” But don’t write it!