Skip to main content

Level: B1

Reflexive vs. Intensive Pronouns — Practice

Tell apart reflexive pronouns (the subject and object are the SAME person — I cut myself) from intensive pronouns (added for EMPHASIS — I myself baked it). Same words: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves, yourselves. Includes the simple “remove and re-read” test.

📝 Pronouns unit · lesson 4 of 9 ⏱ about 10 minutes 🔊 every example has audio

Builds on Personal: Subject vs Object Next in unit Relative vs Interrogative →

  • Same word, both jobs (matched pairs)
  • She taught herself to play guitar. – Reflexive
  • She herself answered the phone. – Intensive
  • He blamed himself for the mistake. – Reflexive
  • The president himself signed the document. – Intensive
  • I cut myself while cooking. – Reflexive
  • I made this cake myself. – Intensive
  • We prepared ourselves for the test. – Reflexive
  • We ourselves cleaned the whole house. – Intensive
  • The kids dressed themselves today. – Reflexive
  • The kids themselves chose the movie. – Intensive
  • The cat hurt itself while jumping. – Reflexive
  • The system itself needs an update. – Intensive
  • She looked at herself in the mirror. – Reflexive
  • She herself wrote every word. – Intensive
  • He taught himself to play piano. – Reflexive
  • The manager himself handled the complaint. – Intensive
  • I reminded myself to buy milk. – Reflexive
  • I myself checked every answer. – Intensive
  • They introduced themselves at the meeting. – Reflexive
  • The children themselves decorated the room. – Intensive
  • You all should be proud of yourselves. – Reflexive
  • You all yourselves asked for more time. – Intensive
  • You should be proud of yourself. – Reflexive
  • You yourself said that. – Intensive
  • We blamed ourselves for the error. – Reflexive
  • We ourselves fixed the broken window. – Intensive
  • She protected herself from the rain. – Reflexive
  • My friend herself cooked the dinner. – Intensive
  • He prepared himself for the interview. – Reflexive
  • He himself painted the entire house. – Intensive
  • I found myself in a difficult situation. – Reflexive
  • I myself packed the suitcase. – Intensive
  • Unpaired examples — apply the test
  • You can help yourself to some snacks. – Reflexive
  • The team themselves chose their leader. – Intensive
  • You all need to take care of yourselves during the hike. – Reflexive
  • You students yourselves organized the event. – Intensive
  • The robot repaired itself after the error. – Reflexive
  • The book itself is very easy to read. – Intensive
  • The machine turned itself off automatically. – Reflexive
  • The house itself was not damaged, only the garage. – Intensive