Choose between personal and reflexive pronouns

Key Notes:

Objective:

• To help students differentiate between personal and reflexive pronouns and use them correctly in sentences.

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1. What Are Personal Pronouns?

• Definition: Personal pronouns replace nouns and refer to people or things.
• Examples:
  • Subject Pronouns (used as the subject of a sentence):
    • I, you, he, she, it, we, they
    • Example: She loves to read.
  • Object Pronouns (used as the object in a sentence):
    • me, you, him, her, it, us, them
    • Example: The teacher called him.

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2. What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

• Definition: Reflexive pronouns reflect back to the subject and end in “-self” (singular) or “-selves” (plural).
• Examples:
  • Singular: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself
  • Plural: ourselves, yourselves, themselves
• Example Sentences:
  • I made this cake myself.
  • They decorated the room themselves.

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3. Difference Between Personal and Reflexive Pronouns

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4. How to Choose the Correct Pronoun?

• Use a personal pronoun when referring to a person or thing without reflecting back.
  • Example: I gave him a book.
• Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object are the same.
  • Example: I taught myself how to swim.

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5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrect: She bought a gift for her.
Correct: She bought a gift for herself.

Incorrect: Me and John will do it ourselves.
Correct: John and I will do it ourselves.