اللغة الإنجليزية — Reflexive Pronouns: Myself, Yourself, Himself, Herself — 1ثانوي — شعبة آداب — Algerian Curriculum

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the sentence. They end in “-self” (singular) or “-selves” (plural). In Algerian BAC exams, knowing when to use reflexive pronouns is essential for correct writing.

List of Reflexive Pronouns

• I → myself
• You (singular) → yourself
• He → himself
• She → herself
• It → itself
• We → ourselves
• You (plural) → yourselves
• They → themselves

Uses of Reflexive Pronouns

1. When subject and object are the same person/thing: I cut myself while cooking. / She taught herself English. / He hurt himself playing football.

2. For emphasis (intensive use): I myself saw the accident. / The president himself attended the meeting. / She herself made the cake.

3. After prepositions when referring to the subject: He bought a gift for himself. / She looked at herself in the mirror. / Take care of yourself.

Common Expressions with Reflexive Pronouns

• by myself = alone: I traveled by myself.
• enjoy yourself = have fun: Did you enjoy yourself at the party?
• help yourself = serve yourself: Help yourself to some cake.
• behave yourself = act properly: Please behave yourselves at school.
• hurt yourself = injure yourself: Be careful not to hurt yourself.

NOT Used with Reflexive Pronouns

Some verbs are NOT normally used with reflexive pronouns in English (unlike Arabic or French):

• I washed (myself) – but usually “I got dressed” / “I washed my hands”.
• She feels happy (not “feels herself happy”).
• He concentrates (not “concentrates himself”).
• They meet (not “meet themselves”).

Examples

Example 1: I taught myself how to play the guitar during the quarantine.

Example 2: The students organized the event themselves without any help from teachers.

Example 3: Be careful! The knife is sharp. Dont cut yourself.

Example 4: She lives by herself in a small apartment near the university.

Example 5: We enjoyed ourselves very much at the seaside during the summer holiday.

Exercises

1. Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun: a) I hurt ___ when I fell. b) She looked at ___ in the mirror. c) They enjoyed ___ at the party. d) He ___ solved the problem.
2. Complete the sentences: a) I made this cake ___ . b) Please help ___ to some tea. c) The cat cleaned ___ .
3. Write 4 sentences using different reflexive pronouns.

Summary

Use reflexive pronouns when the subject and object are the same person, for emphasis, or with certain expressions. Remember the list: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.