Who does the action, and who receives it? A self-form can point back to the person doing the action. The same form can also add emphasis. Start with the context, then try the eight questions.
01 / FOLLOW THE ACTION
Follow the person doing the action
In these object patterns, a reflexive pronoun points back to the subject of the same clause: Iris blamed herself for the delay. Iris is doing the blaming and receiving the blame.
For a different person, use an ordinary object pronoun: Iris blamed him for the delay. The context needs to tell you who him refers to.
| Subject in the example | Common standard self-form |
|---|---|
| I | myself |
| you — one person | yourself |
| he | himself |
| she | herself |
| it | itself |
| we | ourselves |
| you — more than one person | yourselves |
| they — a group | themselves |
Object or emphasis?
Compare Iris blamed herself with Iris herself checked the timetable. In the first, herself is the object of blamed. In the second, it emphasizes that Iris personally did the checking. Removing that emphasis still leaves Iris checked the timetable.
An intensive self-form can follow its subject or come later in the clause: Iris herself checked the timetable. Iris checked the timetable herself. A self-form can also name a recipient, as in Iris made herself a bookmark: she made it for herself. Its position and role both matter.
By myself has two common readings
Adil repaired the zip by himself can describe doing the work without help. May lives by herself can describe living alone. Context tells you which reading matters.
On his own can also describe Adil doing the repair without help. In these phrases, use by himself or on his own; do not combine by with his own as a complete standalone phrase.
Everyday actions do not always need a self-form
Ellis dressed before the ceremony is a normal way to describe putting on clothes. Ellis dressed himself before the ceremony is also possible, for example when the speaker emphasizes that he can do it independently.
The same self-form can therefore do different work. Read the instruction and identify the person, the action and the intended role before choosing.
02 / YOUR TURN
Eight questions to try
Use the stated context and standard written forms. Some questions have more than one accepted answer.
Lena uses she/her. She is giving her own name and role to a workshop group for the first time.
Choose the object form that refers to Lena herself.
Lena introduced ___ as the workshop's new guide.
Answer and explanation
Answer: B
herself
Lena is introducing Lena, so the object refers back to the subject and takes herself. Her could introduce a different person in another context, but that is not the meaning specified here.
Lena is introducing Jonas to the workshop group. Jonas uses he/him, and he is the person being introduced.
Choose the object form that refers to Jonas.
Lena introduced ___ to the workshop group.
Answer and explanation
Answer: A
him
The subject Lena and the person being introduced, Jonas, are different people. Him is the ordinary object form for Jonas here; himself would not refer back to the subject Lena in this construction.
Tessa and the speaker are planning together. We refers to both of them, and they give that same pair time to check their map.
Choose the standard plural reflexive form for we.
We gave ___ ten minutes to check the map.
Answer and explanation
Answer: C
ourselves
The people giving the time and receiving it are the same pair. The standard plural we-form in this sentence is ourselves.
A rescue robot runs a check on its own sensors. The report refers to the robot as it, and no other robot is being checked.
Choose the object that points back to this robot.
The robot checks ___ before each test.
Answer and explanation
Answer: B
itself
The robot performs the check on the same robot, so this object is itself. Its normally introduces a noun phrase; it could refer to a different object in another context.
WHEN YOU’RE READY
Explore Hall of Mirrors
Open GrammarRift, choose Try a guest descent, then Grammar dungeons → Enter Hall of Mirrors. A new school run starts at stage 1 with mixed foundations. Its reflexive-pronoun family is in stage 2 through progression, alongside indefinite-pronoun agreement. The link opens the game entry; choose the school there. Guest progress stays on this device.
Explore Hall of MirrorsTry a guest descent → Grammar dungeons → Enter Hall of Mirrors. New run starts stage1; target reflexives stage2 through mixed progression, no particular first family promised.
KEEP PRACTISING
Four more to try
Arun repaired the radio with no assistance. He uses he/him.
Select every standard written sentence that expresses the repair being done without help in this context.
Answer and explanation
Accepted answers: A + B
Arun repaired the radio by himself. / Arun repaired the radio on his own.
Both by himself and on his own can express doing the repair without help. By his own is not the complete standalone phrase used for that meaning here.
Nia is the only person who lives in the lighthouse. She uses she/her.
Choose the meaning of the sentence in this context.
Nia lives by herself in the lighthouse.
Answer and explanation
Answer: B
Nia is its only resident.
Here by herself means alone: no one else lives there. The sentence does not say who built or owns the lighthouse.
Ellis uses he/him. He is getting ready for a ceremony and can put on his clothes without help.
Select every standard written sentence. Extra emphasis on independent dressing is allowed.
Answer and explanation
Accepted answers: A + B
Ellis dressed before the ceremony. / Ellis dressed himself before the ceremony.
Dressed can describe this ordinary action without a reflexive object. Dressed himself is also possible and can emphasize doing it independently. The standard written he-form requested here is himself.
Dalia uses she/her. You want to emphasize that she personally painted the sign, rather than identify who the sign was for.
Select every sentence using herself solely for that personal emphasis.
Answer and explanation
Accepted answers: A + C
Dalia herself painted the sign. / Dalia painted the sign herself.
The first and third sentences emphasize Dalia as the person who painted. Painted herself the sign can instead give herself a recipient role, meaning she painted the sign for herself. That can be grammatical, but it is a different role from the emphasis requested here.
