Traditionally, sentences are made up of a subject performing an action, a verb that represents the action, and an object receiving the action. However, there are instances where the subject in a sentence or a clause can take up the role of object while still functioning as subject. This brings our attention to the concept of reflexive pronouns.
What are Reflexive Pronouns?
Reflexive pronouns are simply pronouns that serve as the object in a sentence where the noun they represent is the subject. We already know that pronouns are words that replace nouns in sentences. For instance:
In the example;
a. John is a boy.
We can replace, "John", which is a noun, with its corresponding pronoun, "he", since we are referring to a male human. Pronouns help minimize repetition of words in writing hence they are very crucial grammatical elements in both speaking and writing.
Reflexive pronouns function like most pronouns by replacing nouns in sentences, but they have a slight twist to them. While typical pronouns usually replace nouns in sentences without leaving a trace of the noun, reflexive pronouns replace nouns while the nouns they replace remain in the sentence but at a different position. Put another way, reflexive pronouns substitute themselves with nouns in sentences but the nouns whose position they take, remain in that same sentence but can be found at a different position.
Observe:
b. Jenny burnt Jenny while playing with fire.
While the sentence above is definitely grammatical, you would notice that it is also ambiguous—that is, it possess multiple interpretations or meanings. We cannot say for sure whether the subject, "Jenny", burnt a person whose name is also, "Jenny", or she burnt herself. Now this is where a reflexive pronoun steps in:
c. Jenny burnt herself while playing with fire.
Do you see how the reflexive pronoun solved the ambiguity of the sentence? It does not only replace the noun in the object position of a sentence, but it also makes the meaning of the sentence clearer to the reader. Notice also that the noun it replaces is still in the sentence but it exists at the subject position while the reflexive pronoun occupies the object position.
Examples of Reflexive pronouns include;
a. Myself
b. Yourself
c. Herself
d. Himself
e. Themselves
f. Ourselves
g. Itself
A reflexive pronoun is used when referring to a noun that performs an action that affects it. That is, when a noun functions both as the performer and the recipient of an action, we make use of reflexive pronouns.
Forming Sentences with Reflexive Pronouns.
In forming sentences with reflexive pronouns, you must ensure that the reflexive pronoun is placed at the object or receiving position of your sentence, and that it follows a reflexive verb. A reflexive verb is simply a verb that is used to indicate an action performed by the subject of a sentence which also affects the subject. Examples of reflexive verbs include: Wash, Dress, Shave, Enjoy, Introduce, Prepare, Blame, etc.,. With this in mind, the formula for forming sentences with reflexive pronouns would be: Subject + Reflexive Verb + Reflexive Pronoun + Empty or any other accompanying element.
Observe the following:
a. The queen enjoyed herself.
b. Mr. George shaved himself after months of hard work.
c. The girls dressed themselves for the party.
d. The new principal introduced herself.
e. The organization prepared itself for future mishaps.
So reflexive pronouns like most pronouns replace nouns in sentences. However, they are unique in that the nouns they replace are not completely removed from the sentences in which they exist, rather they can be located at a different position. Reflexive pronouns are introduced by reflexive verbs and are only used to replace nouns that are both the performers and recipients of their actions. Understanding how to use reflexive pronouns effectively will help you avoid ambiguity and communicate your ideas or opinions clearly like a native speaker!
Read more:
- Intensive Pronouns in English: Understanding the Concept of Emphatic Pronouns
- Understanding Comparative Adjectives in English Grammar: Learn how to Compare like a Pro
- Understanding Superlative Adjective in English: Learn how to Make Extreme Comparisons in English
- Understanding Attributive Adjectives and Predicative Adjectives in English