Difference between revisions of "Reflexive pronoun"
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| − | '''Reflexive pronouns''' are treated in | + | '''Reflexive pronouns''' are treated in this guide as a subset of [[personal pronoun]]s. (Some other writers treat them as a separate type of [[pronoun]].) '''Reflexive pronouns''' are the words we use to refer back to a [[noun]] or pronoun previously mentioned in the sentence. If we say 'John hit him', we presume that the victim of the assault was a second person, other than John. If, on the other hand, we say 'John hit himself', we presume that he has had an accident. |
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| + | [[Singular]] reflexive pronouns end in '''-self''', like '''myself''', '''herself''' and '''itself'''; [[plural]] ones, like '''themselves''', '''yourselves''' and '''ourselves''' end in '''-selves'''. These [[suffix]]es are added to the relevant personal pronoun in either the [[objective]] ('''him-''' and '''them-''') or [[possessive]] forms ('''my-''', '''your-''' and '''our-'''). Two ('''it-''' and '''her-''') are ambiguous. Note that it is regarded as a mistake in formal English to say '<strike>the<big>ir</big>selves</strike>' | ||
or '<strike>hi<big>s</big>self</strike>', though both are normal in some [[dialect]]s of spoken British English. | or '<strike>hi<big>s</big>self</strike>', though both are normal in some [[dialect]]s of spoken British English. | ||
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| + | [[Category:Grammar]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Word classes]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Pronouns]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Academic English]] | ||
Latest revision as of 20:34, 27 June 2022
Reflexive pronouns are treated in this guide as a subset of personal pronouns. (Some other writers treat them as a separate type of pronoun.) Reflexive pronouns are the words we use to refer back to a noun or pronoun previously mentioned in the sentence. If we say 'John hit him', we presume that the victim of the assault was a second person, other than John. If, on the other hand, we say 'John hit himself', we presume that he has had an accident.
Singular reflexive pronouns end in -self, like myself, herself and itself; plural ones, like themselves, yourselves and ourselves end in -selves. These suffixes are added to the relevant personal pronoun in either the objective (him- and them-) or possessive forms (my-, your- and our-). Two (it- and her-) are ambiguous. Note that it is regarded as a mistake in formal English to say 'theirselves'
or 'hisself', though both are normal in some dialects of spoken British English.
