Reflexive and
Intensive Pronouns
 You often use pronouns that end in –self
or –selves. These forms are either
reflexive pronouns or intensive pronouns.
Although their spellings are the same,
their uses in sentences are different.
 Reflexive: Harry splashed himself with
water.
 Intensive: The children made that rug
themselves.
 A reflexive pronoun has its antecedent
as the subject of the sentence.
 It completes the meaning of a sentence
and generally cannot be left out.
 Burton knows himself very well.
 Did you teach yourself music?
 An intensive pronoun is used to
emphasize another word, its antecedent.
 An intensive pronoun may or may not
refer to the subject of the sentence. It can
usually be left out without destroying the
meaning of the sentence.
 Sid himself hung the picture.
 Both reflexive and intensive pronouns
must agree with their antecedents in
person, number, and gender.
 I will fix myself lunch in a while.
 Jack can fix a sandwich himself.
Reflexive and Intensive
Pronouns
Singular
Plurals
Myself
Ourselves
Yourself
Yourselves
Himself, herself, itself
themselves
 Do not use reflexive and intensive
pronoun forms in place of personal
pronouns.
 Ron and I repaired the lamp. (not Ron and
myself)
 This is between you and me. (not between
you and myself)
 Never use the words hisself or
theirselves. (they are not words)
Find the antecedent of each
underlined pronoun. Is it intensive or
reflexive?
1. Hubert found himself in the middle of a
flood.
2. We met the plumber herself.
3. The oven cleaned itself.
4. Let’s try to fix the sink ourselves.
5. I will call the painters myself.
6. Don’t slip and hurt yourselves.
How would you correct each
of the following sentences?
 7. The painters protected theirselves
from fumes.
 8. Mrs. Sullivan and myself found the
source of the leak under the sink.
 9. Her son can repair pipes hisself now.
 10. Herself and Russell will fix the sink
tomorrow.
Complete each sentence
with an appropriate pronoun.
Is it reflexive or intensive?
 11. Her brother has taught _______ much
about house repair and maintence.
 12. The painters should see ______ in those
funny hats.
 13. We ________ aren’t sure of the color we
should use.
 14. You should learn to repair things
_________.
 15. The work __________ is not difficult.
Write the reflexive or intensive
pronoun in each sentence. Label it
reflexive or intensive.
 16. They themselves knew they looked funny.
 17. One had painted himself green.
 18. Another had decorated herself with blue
spots.
 19. The paint itself was splattered all over the
floor.
 20. The painters thought themselves very
commercial.
 21. I myself had to try hard not to laugh.
Rewrite each sentence
correctly. Underline the
corrected word.
 22. My brother and myself tried to fix
something once.
 23. My brother fooled hisself that time.
 24. Himself and I tried to fix the clock.
 25. Between you and myself, we ruined
the job.
Rewrite each sentence, adding an
appropriate reflexive or intensive
pronoun.
 26. First, you should read the directions
__________.
 27. Several professional repair persons
________ gave me that advice.
 28. Repair manuals ________ also provide the
amateur with excellent advice and tips about
working.
 29. I _______ found out about repair manuals
the hard way.
 30. One night last week, my mother and father
had given ________ an evening out.
Rewrite each sentence, adding an
appropriate reflexive or intensive
pronoun.
 31. Meanwhile, I decided to repair my broken
alarm clock ________.
 32. My brother Patrick said, “You can’t do that
________.”
 33. He decided to help me _______.
 34. As it later turned out, Pat and I could have
saved _________ much time and trouble.
 35. The clock ________ needed only a new
battery!