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Underline The Reflexive Pronoun

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Underline The Reflexive Pronoun

How to Underline the Reflexive Pronoun A Simple Guide to Identifying Reflexive Pronouns in SentencesReflexive pronouns are an important part of English grammar. They help show that the subject and the object of a sentence are the same person or thing. Words like myself, yourself, himself, and themselves are common examples. Understanding how to identify and underline the reflexive pronoun in a sentence is a useful skill for students, writers, and language learners alike.

What Is a Reflexive Pronoun?

A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject of a sentence. It reflects the action of the verb back onto the person or thing doing the action.

Here is a simple structure Subject + verb + reflexive pronoun

Example She taught herself to play the piano. In this sentence, herself refers back to she.

List of Reflexive Pronouns in English

There are a limited number of reflexive pronouns in English. Here’s the complete list

  • Myself

  • Yourself

  • Himself

  • Herself

  • Itself

  • Ourselves

  • Yourselves

  • Themselves

Each one matches a specific subject pronoun. For example

  • I → myself

  • You (singular) → yourself

  • He → himself

  • She → herself

  • It → itself

  • We → ourselves

  • You (plural) → yourselves

  • They → themselves

Why Reflexive Pronouns Are Used

Reflexive pronouns are mainly used when the subject does something to itself. This avoids repetition and helps keep the sentence clear. Here are the main reasons for using them

  1. To show that the subject and object are the same He hurt himself while running.

  2. To add emphasis (intensifiers) I baked this cake myself.

  3. To clarify actions done alone or independently She fixed the car herself.

How to Identify the Reflexive Pronoun in a Sentence

To find the reflexive pronoun, look for a pronoun that ends in -self or -selves and check if it refers back to the subject.

Example They prepared themselves for the meeting. Ask Who is doing the action? → They Who is receiving the action? → Themselves Since both refer to the same group, themselves is the reflexive pronoun.

Underlining the Reflexive Pronoun Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s a simple way to underline the reflexive pronoun in a sentence

  1. Read the sentence carefully.

  2. Identify the subject of the sentence.

  3. Look for a pronoun ending in -self or -selves.

  4. Check if the pronoun refers back to the subject.

  5. If yes, underline it.

Example Sentence Maria blamed herself for the mistake.

  • Subject Maria

  • Reflexive pronoun herself (refers to Maria) ✅ Underlined herself

Common Mistakes with Reflexive Pronouns

People often confuse reflexive pronouns with other types of pronouns. Here are a few common mistakes

  • Using a reflexive pronoun without a subject match Incorrect Myself will attend the meeting. Correct I will attend the meeting myself.

  • Using reflexive pronouns in place of object pronouns Incorrect Please give the files to myself. Correct Please give the files to me.

Always remember reflexive pronouns must reflect the subject of the sentence.

Practice Sentences to Identify and Underline Reflexive Pronouns

Try underlining the reflexive pronoun in each of the following sentences

  1. I told myself to stay calm during the interview.

  2. The cat cleaned itself after eating.

  3. We promised ourselves a break after finishing the project.

  4. He blamed himself for the accident.

  5. You should be proud of yourself.

  6. The students organized the event themselves.

In each sentence, the reflexive pronoun reflects back to the subject and should be underlined.

When Not to Use Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are not used when the subject and object are different. For example

  • Incorrect John gave himself the report. (if the report is for someone else)

  • Correct John gave him the report.

Another case is when no reflection is needed

  • Incorrect Myself think this is a great idea.

  • Correct I think this is a great idea.

Use reflexive pronouns only when they’re needed to reflect the subject.

Reflexive Pronouns vs. Intensive Pronouns

Sometimes, reflexive pronouns are used to emphasize the subject. In this case, they are called intensive pronouns.

Example The president himself announced the news. In this sentence, himself adds emphasis but does not receive the action.

Key difference

  • Reflexive pronoun receives the action

  • Intensive pronoun adds emphasis only

Summary

To underline the reflexive pronoun, you need to understand what reflexive pronouns are and how they function in a sentence. They reflect the action of the subject back onto itself. Look for pronouns ending in -self or -selves, and check if they refer back to the subject.

Learning how to use and identify reflexive pronouns improves both your writing and your understanding of sentence structure. Whether you’re studying grammar or simply trying to write more clearly, mastering reflexive pronouns is a valuable step.

Final Tip

Always read the sentence as a whole. Ask yourself who is doing the action and who is receiving it. If both are the same, and the pronoun ends in -self or -selves, it’s a reflexive pronoun underline it!