English grammar contains several tools to help us specify who is doing what in a sentence. Among the most common—and frequently misused—are reflexive pronouns. Whether you are writing an essay, composing a corporate email, or teaching an ESL class, using these words correctly ensures your writing remains clear, authoritative, and natural.

If you are looking for an all-in-one resource to test your knowledge or teach a classroom, this guide provides rules, common pitfalls, over 75 unique examples, and a complete reflexive pronouns worksheet with answers at the end.

What Is a Reflexive Pronoun? (Definition & Core Rules)

A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun used as an object that refers back to the same person or thing as the subject of the clause or sentence.

In simple terms, a reflexive pronoun shows that the subject performs the action on itself.

[Subject]  ====== Action ======>  [Same Subject]
  "Maria"      looked at             "herself"

The 8 Reflexive Pronouns in Modern English

English has eight primary reflexive pronouns, divided by grammatical number and person:

*Note on “themself”: While “themselves” remains standard in formal contexts, “themself” is increasingly accepted for singular, gender-neutral antecedents (e.g., “A student must advocate for themself”).

The Golden Rules of Reflexive Pronouns

1. The Subject and Object Must Match

Never use a reflexive pronoun unless the person or thing performing the action is the same entity receiving it.

• Incorrect: Send the report to the manager and myself.
• Correct: Send the report to the manager and me.
• Correct: I reviewed the report myself before submitting it.

2. Reflexive vs. Intensive Pronouns: Know the Difference

Reflexive pronouns and intensive pronouns look identical, but they serve different syntactic functions:

• Reflexive Pronoun: Essential to sentence meaning. If removed, the sentence is incomplete or alters meaning.
  • Example: He cut himself while prepping dinner. (Removing “himself” leaves the verb without a necessary direct object).
• Intensive Pronoun: Used merely for emphasis. If removed, the core sentence remains grammatically whole.
  • Example: The CEO herself delivered the opening remarks. (Removing “herself” leaves: “The CEO delivered the opening remarks”—still a complete, clear sentence).

3. Avoid Non-Standard Forms

There are no such words in standard edited English as hisself, theirself, theirselves, or our睬ves.

• Incorrect: They built the cabin theirselves.
• Correct: They built the cabin themselves.

75+ Original Examples Categorized by Context

To help you internalize how these words work in real-world contexts, review the categorized examples below.

Basic Examples (Elementary / Beginner Level)

1. I introduced myself to the new neighbor.
2. Be careful with that sharp knife, or you will cut yourself.
3. David poured himself a glass of water.
4. Elena taught herself to knit over winter break.
5. The cat groomed itself on the sunny window sill.
6. We bought ourselves some hot cocoa after sledding.
7. Children, please behave yourselves in the museum.
8. The puppies exhausted themselves running across the yard.
9. I made myself a sandwich for lunch.
10. Did you buy yourself a souvenir from your trip?

Intermediate Examples

11. He pushed himself beyond his comfort zone to finish the marathon.
12. The automated system resets itself every night at midnight.
13. We found ourselves lost in the older quarter of the city.
14. She allowed herself a single day of rest before resuming rehearsals.
15. You should give yourself credit for how much progress you have made.
16. The committee members found themselves divided over the proposed policy.
17. I reminded myself that learning a language takes time and patience.
18. The laptop turned itself off after three hours of inactivity.
19. Marcus blamed himself for missing the flight, even though traffic was terrible.
20. The players prepared themselves mentally for the final match.

Advanced Examples

21. The legal team positioned itself strategically ahead of the court proceedings.
22. In attempting to conceal the discrepancy, the treasurer inadvertently implicated himself.
23. The organization prides itself on maintaining complete carbon neutrality.
24. Society continually redefines itself through ongoing technological revolutions.
25. We must guard ourselves against premature conclusions unsupported by data.
26. One should never underestimate oneself when confronting systemic challenges.
27. The research methodology lent itself well to qualitative field analysis.
28. They have resigned themselves to the reality that the startup funding is delayed.
29. She distanced herself from the controversial statements made by the board.
30. The algorithm continuously adapts itself based on user feedback.

Daily Conversation Examples

31. “Did you fix the faucet, or did you hire a plumber?” — “I did it myself.”
32. “Help yourselves to pizza, everyone!”
33. “She looked at herself in the mirror and straightened her collar.”
34. “We promised ourselves we wouldn’t stay up late tonight.”
35. “Did he burn himself on the stove?”
36. “Don’t be so hard on yourself; it was an honest mistake.”
37. “The front door locks itself when it closes.”
38. “They really enjoyed themselves at the summer festival.”
39. “I’m going to take myself out for a nice coffee this morning.”
40. “Watch yourselves on those slippery steps!”

Academic Writing Examples

41. The pathogen replicates itself inside the host cell within forty-eight hours.
42. The historical evidence does not speak for itself; it requires thorough contextual analysis.
43. Participants were asked to evaluate themselves using a standardized scale.
44. The discipline of sociology frequently questions itself regarding researcher bias.
45. Through this theoretical framework, the author distinguishes herself from structuralist predecessors.
46. The data array reorganizes itself once the sorting script runs.
47. Scholars must ask themselves whether the survey size was sufficient.
48. The institution committed itself to funding regional educational programs.
49. The philosophical movement established itself during the late nineteenth century.
50. Experimental groups isolated themselves to prevent cross-contamination.

Business & Professional Examples

51. The department structured itself to respond faster to client escalations.
52. Please ensure you familiarize yourself with the updated employee handbook.
53. The brand successfully rebranded itself to appeal to younger consumers.
54. Leaders must hold themselves accountable when quarterly projections fall short.
55. The firm protected itself against currency fluctuations through hedge contracts.
56. John took it upon himself to audit the department’s vendor invoices.
57. We found ourselves facing unexpected logistical constraints in Q3.
58. The board reconstituted itself following the vote of no confidence.
59. Each regional office manages itself with operational autonomy.
60. The platform scaled itself seamlessly during peak holiday traffic.

Email Writing Examples

61. Please feel free to reach out to Sarah or me [NOT myself] if questions arise.
62. I will handle the slide deck myself before the morning briefing.
63. Please take a moment to introduce yourselves on the company message board.
64. Our executive team has committed itself to total operational transparency.
65. Give yourself plenty of commute time, as severe weather is expected.
66. We found ourselves agreeing with your pricing counter-proposal.
67. The client took it upon himself to verify the data before the presentation.
68. Don’t hesitate to treat yourselves to lunch on the department budget today.
69. The software update applied itself overnight without incident.
70. I took myself off the distribution list to avoid inbox clutter.

Common Mistakes vs. Corrections

Reflexive Pronouns Worksheet with Answers

Use this practical, printable-friendly reflexive pronouns worksheet with answers for classroom assignments, homework, or personal self-study.

Part 1: Fill in the Blank

Directions: Complete each sentence by writing the correct reflexive pronoun.

1. Clara painted the entire bedroom by _______________.
2. We must protect _______________ against phishing scams.
3. Don’t worry about me; I can carry the boxes _______________.
4. The oven cleans _______________ using a high-heat cycle.
5. You two should be very proud of _______________ for finishing the project.
6. The injured bird managed to free _______________ from the netting.
7. Leo accidentally burned _______________ while lighting the grill.
8. They decided to teach _______________ conversational Spanish.
9. One must always be honest with _______________ when evaluating failures.
10. Can you make _______________ a cup of tea while I finish this email?

Part 2: Reflexive or Intensive?

Directions: Read each sentence. State whether the bold pronoun is Reflexive (necessary for meaning) or Intensive (used purely for emphasis).

11. The mayor himself showed up to inspect the broken water main.
12. The gymnast pushed herself to master the difficult routine.
13. I bought myself a new laptop for work.
14. We built the deck ourselves over a single weekend.
15. You must remind yourself of your long-term goals.

Part 3: Error Identification & Correction

Directions: Identify the error in each sentence and rewrite it correctly.

16. Please forward the signed agreement to Mr. Evans and myself.
17. The children made theirselves a snack after school.
18. Rachel and myself will present the research findings next Monday.
19. My brother bought hisself a vintage record player.
20. If you need any assistance, notify either Liam or myself.

Worksheet Answer Key & Explanations

Part 1 Answers

1. herself (Subject is Clara / singular female)
2. ourselves (Subject is We / first-person plural)
3. myself (Subject is I / first-person singular)
4. itself (Subject is oven / singular non-human)
5. yourselves (Addressed to “You two” / second-person plural)
6. itself (Subject is the bird / singular non-human)
7. himself (Subject is Leo / singular male)
8. themselves (Subject is They / third-person plural)
9. oneself (Subject is the impersonal pronoun One)
10. yourself (Subject is an implied or stated singular You)

Part 2 Answers

11. Intensive (If you remove “himself,” the sentence remains complete: “The mayor showed up to inspect the broken water main.”)
12. Reflexive (Removing “herself” leaves the transitive verb “pushed” without an object, altering the sentence meaning).
13. Reflexive (It functions as the indirect object of the verb “bought”).
14. Intensive (The sentence “We built the deck over a single weekend” is complete on its own; “ourselves” emphasizes our independent effort).
15. Reflexive (Direct object of the transitive verb “remind”).

Part 3 Answers

16. Correction:Please forward the signed agreement to Mr. Evans and me.
    • Reason: “Me” is the objective pronoun required after the preposition “to.”
17. Correction:The children made themselves a snack after school.
    • Reason: “Theirselves” is non-standard English.
18. Correction:Rachel and I will present the research findings next Monday.
    • Reason: “I” is the subject of the verb “will present.” A reflexive pronoun cannot act as a sentence subject.
19. Correction:My brother bought himself a vintage record player.
    • Reason: “Hisself” is an incorrect dialectal form; standard English requires “himself.”
20. Correction:If you need any assistance, notify either Liam or me.
    • Reason: “Me” is the direct object of the verb “notify.”

5-Question Quick Diagnostic Quiz

Test your mastery with these scenario-based questions:

1. Which sentence demonstrates the correct use of a reflexive pronoun?
A) The team manager gave tickets to Amanda and myself.
B) Amanda and myself completed the marketing review yesterday.
C) Amanda bought herself a brand-new monitor for the desk.
D) Amanda spoke to both hisself and the director.

2. In the sentence “We painted the studio ourselves,” what grammatical role does “ourselves” play?
A) Direct object
B) Reflexive pronoun
C) Intensive pronoun
D) Indirect object

3. Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence: “The stray puppy curled _______ up by the warm radiator.”
A) it
B) itself
C) its
D) themself

*4. Why is this sentence incorrect: “All queries should be directed to myself”?*
A) “Myself” should only be used as a subject.
B) There is no first-person subject (“I”) in the sentence for “myself” to reflect back to.
C) “Myself” is spelled incorrectly.
D) Passive sentences cannot include reflexive pronouns.

5. Select the sentence with no grammatical errors:
A) The committee congratulated themselves on a successful campaign.
B) The team built theirselves an automated reporting system.
C) He invited both myself and my colleague to the seminar.
D) She taught her how to play the cello over quarantine.

Quiz Answers & Scoring

• 1: C — Amanda is the subject acting on herself. In A and B, “myself” is incorrectly substituted for “me” and “I.” In D, “hisself” is non-standard.
• 2: C — “Ourselves” can be removed without making the sentence ungrammatical; it merely adds emphasis.
• 3: B — The animal is doing the action to its own body, requiring the reflexive form “itself.”
• 4: B — A reflexive pronoun requires a corresponding subject in the same clause. The correct pronoun is “me.”
• 5: A — “The committee” (treated as plural individuals) correctly takes “themselves.” B uses non-standard “theirselves,” and C incorrectly uses “myself” instead of “me.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the most common error with reflexive pronouns?

The single most frequent mistake is using “myself” in compound subjects or objects to sound polite or formal (e.g., “Contact John or myself” instead of “Contact John or me”). Always verify that “I” is the subject of the sentence before using “myself.”

Can a reflexive pronoun ever be the subject of a sentence?

No. A reflexive pronoun can never serve as the grammatical subject of a sentence. For instance, “Myself and Sarah will lead the workshop” is ungrammatical. The correct phrasing is “Sarah and I will lead the workshop.”

What is the simple trick to test if “myself” or “me” is correct?

Drop the other person from the sentence and read it aloud:

• “The manager spoke to John and (myself / me).”
• Test: “The manager spoke to me” (Sounds right) vs. “The manager spoke to myself” (Sounds incorrect).
• Result: Use me.

Are “hisself” and “theirselves” ever acceptable in formal English?

No. While these forms appear in regional dialects and historical texts, they are considered non-standard errors in edited American, British, Canadian, and Australian English. Always use himself and themselves.

What is the difference between “each other” and reflexive pronouns?

Reflexive pronouns indicate that each person acts on themselves individually (“They looked at themselves in the mirror” = each looked at their own reflection). Reciprocal pronouns like each other or one another show mutual, exchanged actions (“They looked at each other” = Person A looked at Person B, and Person B looked at Person A).

Summary & Action Checklist

• Use reflexive pronouns when the subject and object are the identical person or thing.
• Remember the singular endings (-self) versus plural endings (-selves).
• Avoid replacing “me” or “I” with “myself” in professional emails and correspondence.
• Use our reflexive pronouns worksheet with answers above to reinforce these habits with your students or study partners.

Disclaimer

This educational guide adheres to standard edited English conventions across major English-speaking regions (US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). Regional dialects and informal vernaculars may observe different spoken norms.

Also Read: Unclear Pronoun Reference Examples and Corrections

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