[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"i-lucide:type":3,"i-lucide:layers":8,"i-lucide:languages":10,"i-lucide:chevron-down":12,"i-lucide:bell":14,"i-lucide:menu":16,"i-lucide:house":18,"i-lucide:chevron-right":20,"i-lucide:list-ordered":22,"i-lucide:book-open":24,"i-lucide:library-big":26,"i-lucide:book-open-text":28,"i-lucide:graduation-cap":30,"i-lucide:case-sensitive":32,"i-lucide:gamepad-2":34,"i-lucide:trophy":36,"i-lucide:book-marked":38,"i-lucide:presentation":40,"i-simple-icons:bluesky":42,"i-simple-icons:x":44,"english-grammar-reflexive-and-reciprocal-pronouns":46,"i-lucide:pencil-line":909,"i-lucide:volume-2":911},{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":7},0,24,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 4v16M4 7V5a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h14a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v2M9 20h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":9},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12.83 2.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 6.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.83l8.58 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0l8.58-3.9a1 1 0 0 0 0-1.83z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 12a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 12\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 17a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 17\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":11},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m5 8l6 6m-7 0l6-6l2-3M2 5h12M7 2h1m14 20l-5-10l-5 10m2-4h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":13},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m6 9l6 6l6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":15},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M10.268 21a2 2 0 0 0 3.464 0m-10.47-5.674A1 1 0 0 0 4 17h16a1 1 0 0 0 .74-1.673C19.41 13.956 18 12.499 18 8A6 6 0 0 0 6 8c0 4.499-1.411 5.956-2.738 7.326\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":17},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M4 5h16M4 12h16M4 19h16\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":19},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M15 21v-8a1 1 0 0 0-1-1h-4a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v8\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M3 10a2 2 0 0 1 .709-1.528l7-6a2 2 0 0 1 2.582 0l7 6A2 2 0 0 1 21 10v9a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":21},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m9 18l6-6l-6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":23},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M11 5h10m-10 7h10m-10 7h10M4 4h1v5M4 9h2m.5 11H3.4c0-1 2.6-1.925 2.6-3.5a1.5 1.5 0 0 0-2.6-1.02\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":25},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m-9-3a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":27},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Crect width=\"8\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"1\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M7 3v18m13.4-2.1c.2.5-.1 1.1-.6 1.3l-1.9.7c-.5.2-1.1-.1-1.3-.6L11.1 5.1c-.2-.5.1-1.1.6-1.3l1.9-.7c.5-.2 1.1.1 1.3.6Z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":29},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m4-9h2m-2-4h2M3 18a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3zm3-6h2M6 8h2\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":31},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M21.42 10.922a1 1 0 0 0-.019-1.838L12.83 5.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 9.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.832l8.57 3.908a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0zM22 10v6\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M6 12.5V16a6 3 0 0 0 12 0v-3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":33},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"m2 16l4.039-9.69a.5.5 0 0 1 .923 0L11 16m11-7v7M3.304 13h6.392\"\u002F>\u003Ccircle cx=\"18.5\" cy=\"12.5\" r=\"3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":35},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M6 11h4M8 9v4m7-1h.01M18 10h.01m-.69-5H6.68a4 4 0 0 0-3.978 3.59l-.017.152C2.604 9.416 2 14.456 2 16a3 3 0 0 0 3 3c1 0 1.5-.5 2-1l1.414-1.414A2 2 0 0 1 9.828 16h4.344a2 2 0 0 1 1.414.586L17 18c.5.5 1 1 2 1a3 3 0 0 0 3-3c0-1.545-.604-6.584-.685-7.258q-.01-.075-.017-.151A4 4 0 0 0 17.32 5\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":37},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M10 14.66v1.626a2 2 0 0 1-.976 1.696A5 5 0 0 0 7 21.978m7-7.318v1.626a2 2 0 0 0 .976 1.696A5 5 0 0 1 17 21.978M18 9h1.5a1 1 0 0 0 0-5H18M4 22h16\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M6 9a6 6 0 0 0 12 0V3a1 1 0 0 0-1-1H7a1 1 0 0 0-1 1zm0 0H4.5a1 1 0 0 1 0-5H6\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":39},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M10 2v8l3-3l3 3V2\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M4 19.5v-15A2.5 2.5 0 0 1 6.5 2H19a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v18a1 1 0 0 1-1 1H6.5a1 1 0 0 1 0-5H20\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":41},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M2 3h20m-1 0v11a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2V3m4 18l5-5l5 5\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":43},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M5.202 2.857C7.954 4.922 10.913 9.11 12 11.358c1.087-2.247 4.046-6.436 6.798-8.501C20.783 1.366 24 .213 24 3.883c0 .732-.42 6.156-.667 7.037c-.856 3.061-3.978 3.842-6.755 3.37c4.854.826 6.089 3.562 3.422 6.299c-5.065 5.196-7.28-1.304-7.847-2.97c-.104-.305-.152-.448-.153-.327c0-.121-.05.022-.153.327c-.568 1.666-2.782 8.166-7.847 2.97c-2.667-2.737-1.432-5.473 3.422-6.3c-2.777.473-5.899-.308-6.755-3.369C.42 10.04 0 4.615 0 3.883c0-3.67 3.217-2.517 5.202-1.026\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":45},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M14.234 10.162L22.977 0h-2.072l-7.591 8.824L7.251 0H.258l9.168 13.343L.258 24H2.33l8.016-9.318L16.749 24h6.993zm-2.837 3.299l-.929-1.329L3.076 1.56h3.182l5.965 8.532l.929 1.329l7.754 11.09h-3.182z\"\u002F>",{"id":47,"title":48,"author":49,"body":50,"cefrLevel":817,"date":49,"description":818,"exercises":819,"extension":888,"faqs":889,"gcseTier":49,"intro":49,"language":902,"lastUpdated":49,"meta":903,"navigation":904,"path":905,"seo":906,"stem":907,"verbSlugs":49,"__hash__":908},"pages\u002Fenglish\u002Fgrammar\u002Freflexive-and-reciprocal-pronouns.md","Reflexive and reciprocal pronouns in English: myself, yourself, each other, and when English does not bother",null,{"type":51,"value":52,"toc":805},"minimark",[53,78,83,196,231,235,238,283,300,318,322,325,398,405,424,427,431,438,472,475,479,485,514,532,536,543,576,592,614,618,621,731,735,738,771,784],[54,55,56,57,61,62,65,66,69,70,73,74,77],"p",{},"English has a full set of reflexive pronouns - ",[58,59,60],"em",{},"myself",", ",[58,63,64],{},"yourself",",\n",[58,67,68],{},"themselves"," and the rest - and then uses them far less than almost any\nlanguage you might be coming from. If your first language says the equivalent\nof ",[58,71,72],{},"I wash myself"," every morning, this page is going to feel like a holiday.\nThe rule set is small: when the action really does come back to the doer, use\nthe reflexive; when English considers that obvious, leave it out; and never\nuse a reflexive where two people are doing something to ",[58,75,76],{},"each other",".",[79,80,82],"h2",{"id":81},"the-forms","The forms",[84,85,86,99],"table",{},[87,88,89],"thead",{},[90,91,92,96],"tr",{},[93,94,95],"th",{},"Subject",[93,97,98],{},"Reflexive",[100,101,102,114,125,137,149,161,173,185],"tbody",{},[90,103,104,110],{},[105,106,107],"td",{},[58,108,109],{},"I",[105,111,112],{},[58,113,60],{},[90,115,116,121],{},[105,117,118],{},[58,119,120],{},"you",[105,122,123],{},[58,124,64],{},[90,126,127,132],{},[105,128,129],{},[58,130,131],{},"he",[105,133,134],{},[58,135,136],{},"himself",[90,138,139,144],{},[105,140,141],{},[58,142,143],{},"she",[105,145,146],{},[58,147,148],{},"herself",[90,150,151,156],{},[105,152,153],{},[58,154,155],{},"it",[105,157,158],{},[58,159,160],{},"itself",[90,162,163,168],{},[105,164,165],{},[58,166,167],{},"we",[105,169,170],{},[58,171,172],{},"ourselves",[90,174,175,180],{},[105,176,177,179],{},[58,178,120],{}," (plural)",[105,181,182],{},[58,183,184],{},"yourselves",[90,186,187,192],{},[105,188,189],{},[58,190,191],{},"they",[105,193,194],{},[58,195,68],{},[54,197,198,199,202,203,206,207,209,210,212,213,216,217,220,221,61,223,225,226,61,228,230],{},"Two things to notice. Singular ends in ",[58,200,201],{},"-self",", plural ends in ",[58,204,205],{},"-selves",", and\nEnglish keeps that distinction honest: one person is ",[58,208,64],{},", a room full\nof people is ",[58,211,184],{},". And the set has exactly these eight members.\n",[58,214,215],{},"Hisself"," and ",[58,218,219],{},"theirselves"," do not exist in standard English, however logical\nthey would have been - the pattern mixes possessives (",[58,222,60],{},[58,224,64],{},")\nand object forms (",[58,227,136],{},[58,229,68],{},") and nobody asked for our opinion.",[79,232,234],{"id":233},"when-you-need-the-reflexive","When you need the reflexive",[54,236,237],{},"Use it when the subject and the object are the same person:",[239,240,241,251,259,267,275],"ul",{},[242,243,244],"li",{},[58,245,246,247,250],{},"I cut ",[248,249,60],"strong",{}," while I was cooking.",[242,252,253],{},[58,254,255,256,258],{},"She taught ",[248,257,148],{}," to play the piano.",[242,260,261],{},[58,262,263,264,266],{},"He introduced ",[248,265,136],{}," to the new neighbours.",[242,268,269],{},[58,270,271,272,274],{},"We enjoyed ",[248,273,172],{}," at the party.",[242,276,277],{},[58,278,279,280,282],{},"The machine turns ",[248,281,160],{}," off at night.",[54,284,285,286,293,294,299],{},"Compare ",[58,287,288,289,292],{},"she taught ",[248,290,291],{},"her"," to swim"," - two different people - with ",[58,295,296,297,292],{},"she taught\n",[248,298,148],{}," - one person, doing both jobs. The pronoun choice is the\nonly thing telling the listener who learned.",[54,301,302,303,306,307,310,311,314,315,77],{},"A few verbs are so fond of the reflexive that the pair is worth learning as a\nunit: ",[58,304,305],{},"enjoy yourself"," (have a good time), ",[58,308,309],{},"help yourself"," (take some without\nasking), ",[58,312,313],{},"behave yourself"," (stop being silly), ",[58,316,317],{},"make yourself at home",[79,319,321],{"id":320},"when-english-does-not-bother","When English does not bother",[54,323,324],{},"Here is the difference that catches almost every learner. With the ordinary\nactions of daily life - washing, shaving, dressing, feeling, moving your own\nbody - English drops the reflexive, because doing these things to yourself is\nassumed:",[239,326,327,343,352,365,375,385],{},[242,328,329,338,339,342],{},[58,330,331,332,216,335,77],{},"I got up, ",[248,333,334],{},"washed",[248,336,337],{},"dressed"," (not ",[58,340,341],{},"washed myself, dressed myself",")",[242,344,345],{},[58,346,347,348,351],{},"He ",[248,349,350],{},"shaves"," every morning.",[242,353,354,361,362,342],{},[58,355,356,357,360],{},"I ",[248,358,359],{},"feel"," terrible."," (never ",[58,363,364],{},"I feel myself terrible",[242,366,367,338,372,342],{},[58,368,369,77],{},[248,370,371],{},"Relax",[58,373,374],{},"relax yourself",[242,376,377,338,382,342],{},[58,378,379,77],{},[248,380,381],{},"Concentrate",[58,383,384],{},"concentrate yourself",[242,386,387,397],{},[58,388,389,390,216,393,396],{},"She ",[248,391,392],{},"sat down",[248,394,395],{},"hurried"," out."," (no reflexive on either)",[54,399,400,401,404],{},"If your language needs a reflexive in these sentences, the habit will follow\nyou into English. Resist it. ",[58,402,403],{},"I washed myself"," is grammatical, but it carries\na signal you probably do not intend: that the washing was noteworthy, an\nachievement. Which is exactly when English does use it:",[239,406,407,415],{},[242,408,409],{},[58,410,411,412,77],{},"He is only three, but he can ",[248,413,414],{},"dress himself",[242,416,417],{},[58,418,419,420,423],{},"After the accident, she had to learn to ",[248,421,422],{},"feed herself"," again.",[54,425,426],{},"The reflexive marks the effort. No effort, no reflexive.",[79,428,430],{"id":429},"the-emphatic-use-i-did-it-myself","The emphatic use: I did it myself",[54,432,433,434,437],{},"The second job of these pronouns has nothing to do with grammar and everything\nto do with pride. Adding the reflexive after the verb phrase, or after the\nnoun, means ",[58,435,436],{},"this person and nobody else",":",[239,439,440,448,455,464],{},[242,441,442,447],{},[58,443,444,445,77],{},"I painted the kitchen ",[248,446,60],{}," (no painter was paid)",[242,449,450],{},[58,451,452,453,77],{},"She makes the bread ",[248,454,148],{},[242,456,457,463],{},[58,458,459,460,462],{},"The manager ",[248,461,136],{}," came to say sorry."," (a rare honour, apparently)",[242,465,466],{},[58,467,468,469,471],{},"The house ",[248,470,160],{}," is small, but the garden is huge.",[54,473,474],{},"Take the pronoun out and every one of these sentences still works; the\nreflexive is there purely to point. At the end of the sentence it praises the\ndoer, straight after the noun it raises an eyebrow at how important the noun\nis. Both are common, both are worth having.",[79,476,478],{"id":477},"by-myself-means-alone","by myself means alone",[54,480,481,484],{},[58,482,483],{},"By"," plus a reflexive means alone, or without help:",[239,486,487,496,505],{},[242,488,489,495],{},[58,490,491,492,77],{},"She lives ",[248,493,494],{},"by herself"," (alone)",[242,497,498,504],{},[58,499,500,501,77],{},"I fixed the car ",[248,502,503],{},"by myself"," (nobody helped)",[242,506,507,513],{},[58,508,509,510,77],{},"The door opened ",[248,511,512],{},"by itself"," (nobody touched it - time to leave)",[54,515,516,519,520,523,524,527,528,531],{},[58,517,518],{},"On my own"," means the same and is at least as common in British English:\n",[58,521,522],{},"she lives on her own",". Keep the emphatic and the alone senses apart: ",[58,525,526],{},"I\npainted the kitchen myself"," says who did it; ",[58,529,530],{},"I painted the kitchen by\nmyself"," adds that no one helped. Small difference, but it is the difference\nbetween pride and complaint.",[79,533,535],{"id":534},"each-other-not-themselves","each other, not themselves",[54,537,538,539,542],{},"When two or more people do the same thing to one another, English uses ",[58,540,541],{},"each\nother",", and the reflexive would change the meaning:",[239,544,545,553,560,568],{},[242,546,547,552],{},[58,548,549,550,77],{},"They looked at ",[248,551,76],{}," (A looked at B, B looked at A)",[242,554,555,559],{},[58,556,549,557,77],{},[248,558,68],{}," (each looked in the mirror)",[242,561,562],{},[58,563,564,565,567],{},"The two sisters phone ",[248,566,76],{}," every day.",[242,569,570],{},[58,571,572,573,575],{},"We told ",[248,574,76],{}," everything.",[54,577,578,581,582,584,585],{},[58,579,580],{},"One another"," means the same as ",[58,583,76],{}," and sounds slightly more formal;\nnobody will notice which one you pick. Both take a possessive with no fuss:\n",[58,586,587,588,591],{},"they borrowed ",[248,589,590],{},"each other's"," clothes.",[54,593,594,595,598,599,602,603,605,606,609,610,613],{},"The test, when you are unsure: split the sentence. ",[58,596,597],{},"They talk to each other","\nsplits into ",[58,600,601],{},"he talks to her and she talks to him"," - reciprocal, so ",[58,604,541],{},". ",[58,607,608],{},"They blame themselves"," splits into ",[58,611,612],{},"he blames himself and she blames\nherself"," - each action stays with its owner, so the reflexive.",[79,615,617],{"id":616},"common-mistakes","Common mistakes",[54,619,620],{},"Ranked by how often learners actually make them.",[622,623,624,638,661,673,685,711],"ol",{},[242,625,626,629,630,633,634,637],{},[248,627,628],{},"Reflexives on daily routines."," ",[58,631,632],{},"I washed myself and dressed myself","\nmarks you as a learner instantly. ",[58,635,636],{},"I washed and dressed."," English assumes\nyou are the target of your own washing.",[242,639,640,643,644,646,647,61,650,653,654,657,658,660],{},[248,641,642],{},"I feel myself well."," Direct import from several languages, and it does\nnot work: ",[58,645,359],{}," takes no reflexive in English. ",[58,648,649],{},"I feel well",[58,651,652],{},"I feel\ntired",". The one idiom that looks similar is ",[58,655,656],{},"I am not feeling myself\ntoday",", which means I am slightly unwell or out of sorts - there, ",[58,659,60],{},"\nis the thing you normally are, not the thing you are touching.",[242,662,663,629,666,669,670],{},[248,664,665],{},"Themselves for each other.",[58,667,668],{},"The two teams played themselves"," means each\nteam somehow played against itself, which would be a strange afternoon.\n",[58,671,672],{},"They played each other.",[242,674,675,678,679,61,682,684],{},[248,676,677],{},"Hisself and theirselves."," Neither exists. ",[58,680,681],{},"Himself",[58,683,68],{}," -\nirregular, fixed, not up for negotiation.",[242,686,687,629,690,693,694,697,698,605,701,704,705,707,708],{},[248,688,689],{},"Myself as a polite subject.",[58,691,692],{},"My colleague and myself will attend"," is\noffice English trying to sound formal. The subject is ",[58,695,696],{},"my colleague and\nI","; the object is ",[58,699,700],{},"my colleague and me",[58,702,703],{},"Myself"," only belongs where the\nsubject is also ",[58,706,109],{},": ",[58,709,710],{},"I did it myself.",[242,712,713,716,717,216,720,723,724,727,728,77],{},[248,714,715],{},"By his own."," A blend of ",[58,718,719],{},"by himself",[58,721,722],{},"on his own"," that takes the\nwrong half of each. Either ",[58,725,726],{},"he lives by himself"," or ",[58,729,730],{},"he lives on his own",[79,732,734],{"id":733},"practice","Practice",[54,736,737],{},"Complete each sentence, or decide whether nothing is needed. Answers are\nbelow.",[622,739,740,748,754,760,765],{},[242,741,742,743,747],{},"She looked at ",[744,745,746],"code",{},"___"," in the shop window.",[242,749,750,751,753],{},"The brothers have not spoken to ",[744,752,746],{}," for years.",[242,755,756,757,759],{},"I got up and ",[744,758,746],{}," washed. (add a pronoun, or nothing?)",[242,761,762,763,77],{},"Nobody helped them. They moved the piano ",[744,764,746],{},[242,766,767,768,770],{},"He is old enough to make dinner ",[744,769,746],{}," now.",[54,772,773,776,777,780,781,783],{},[248,774,775],{},"Answers:"," 1. herself 2. each other 3. nothing - ",[58,778,779],{},"I got up and washed","\n4. by themselves 5. himself (or ",[58,782,719],{},", if the point is that no one\nhelped)",[54,785,786,787,792,793,796,797,800,801,77],{},"Reflexives are half of the do-it-yourself story in English; the other half is\npaying someone else, which is\n",[788,789,791],"a",{"href":790},"\u002Fenglish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fcausative-have-and-get","causative have and get"," - ",[58,794,795],{},"I cut my\nhair myself"," against ",[58,798,799],{},"I had my hair cut",". And when the doer disappears from\nthe sentence entirely, you are in the\n",[788,802,804],{"href":803},"\u002Fenglish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fpassive-voice","passive voice",{"title":806,"searchDepth":807,"depth":807,"links":808},"",2,[809,810,811,812,813,814,815,816],{"id":81,"depth":807,"text":82},{"id":233,"depth":807,"text":234},{"id":320,"depth":807,"text":321},{"id":429,"depth":807,"text":430},{"id":477,"depth":807,"text":478},{"id":534,"depth":807,"text":535},{"id":616,"depth":807,"text":617},{"id":733,"depth":807,"text":734},"A2-B1","How English uses myself, yourself and themselves: when the reflexive is needed, why English says I washed rather than I washed myself, the emphatic I did it myself, by myself meaning alone, and each other versus themselves.",[820,841,861],{"type":821,"instructions":822,"options":823,"items":824},"which-one","Choose the correct word or phrase for each sentence.",[60,64,136,148,160,172,184,76],[825,827,829,831,833,835,837,839],{"prompt":826,"answer":60},"I cut ___ while I was cooking.",{"prompt":828,"answer":184},"Did you enjoy ___, boys?",{"prompt":830,"answer":148},"She taught ___ to play the piano.",{"prompt":832,"answer":136},"He looked at ___ in the mirror.",{"prompt":834,"answer":160},"The machine turns ___ off at night.",{"prompt":836,"answer":172},"We built the house ___.",{"prompt":838,"answer":64},"Help ___ to some tea.",{"prompt":840,"answer":76},"The two sisters write to ___ every week.",{"type":842,"instructions":843,"items":844},"fill-blank","Write the missing reflexive pronoun or each other.",[845,847,849,851,853,855,857,859],{"prompt":846,"answer":148},"She lives by ___.",{"prompt":848,"answer":136},"Nobody helped him. He did it all by ___.",{"prompt":850,"answer":68},"The children are old enough to dress ___.",{"prompt":852,"answer":172},"We enjoyed ___ at the party.",{"prompt":854,"answer":64},"Make ___ at home.",{"prompt":856,"answer":60},"I am not feeling ___ today.",{"prompt":858,"answer":76},"The two teams played ___ in the final.",{"prompt":860,"answer":160},"The door opened by ___.",{"type":862,"instructions":863,"pairs":864},"match","Match each sentence to what it really means.",[865,867,870,873,876,879,882,885],{"left":710,"right":866},"Nobody did it for me.",{"left":868,"right":869},"I did it by myself.","I was alone when I did it.",{"left":871,"right":872},"They looked at themselves.","Each one looked in the mirror.",{"left":874,"right":875},"They looked at each other.","Each one looked at the other.",{"left":877,"right":878},"He is not himself today.","He is not feeling well.",{"left":880,"right":881},"Help yourself.","Take some without asking.",{"left":883,"right":884},"She taught herself.","She learned without a teacher.",{"left":886,"right":887},"Behave yourselves.","Stop being silly, all of you.","md",[890,893,896,899],{"q":891,"a":892},"When do you use myself, yourself and themselves in English?","Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and the object are the same person: I cut myself, she taught herself to cook, they enjoyed themselves. The action goes back to the person doing it. If the object is somebody else, use an ordinary pronoun: she taught him, not she taught himself.",{"q":894,"a":895},"Why do English speakers say I washed and not I washed myself?","Because English drops the reflexive with everyday actions people normally do to themselves: wash, shave, dress, feel, relax, concentrate, sit down. I got up, washed and dressed is complete and natural. This is a real difference from most European languages, which need the reflexive in exactly these sentences. Adding it in English is not wrong, but it makes the action sound unusual or difficult: he is only three, but he can dress himself.",{"q":897,"a":898},"What does by myself mean?","By myself means alone, with nobody else there, or without help. She lives by herself means she lives alone. I fixed it by myself means nobody helped me. On my own means the same thing and is just as common. Note the difference from the emphatic form: I painted the kitchen myself stresses who did it; I painted the kitchen by myself stresses that nobody helped.",{"q":900,"a":901},"What is the difference between each other and themselves?","They looked at themselves means each person looked at himself or herself, probably in a mirror. They looked at each other means A looked at B and B looked at A. Themselves points the action back at each person separately; each other passes it between them. The pair to learn: they talk to themselves is worrying, they talk to each other is friendship.","english",{},true,"\u002Fenglish\u002Fgrammar\u002Freflexive-and-reciprocal-pronouns",{"title":48,"description":818},"english\u002Fgrammar\u002Freflexive-and-reciprocal-pronouns","gIFJUAYJmzP7JNiSkF-Um5b5-rn0iVbFo0baIBS_KUo",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":910},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M13 21h8M15 5l4 4m2.174-2.188a1 1 0 0 0-3.986-3.987L3.842 16.174a2 2 0 0 0-.5.83l-1.321 4.352a.5.5 0 0 0 .623.622l4.353-1.32a2 2 0 0 0 .83-.497z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":912},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M11 4.702a.705.705 0 0 0-1.203-.498L6.413 7.587A1.4 1.4 0 0 1 5.416 8H3a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v6a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h2.416a1.4 1.4 0 0 1 .997.413l3.383 3.384A.705.705 0 0 0 11 19.298zM16 9a5 5 0 0 1 0 6m3.364 3.364a9 9 0 0 0 0-12.728\"\u002F>"]