Language Mini-Lesson: “Self” Pronouns (Reflexive & Intensive) See if you can figure out which word you would put in each of these blanks: We were quite concerned when Stuart confessed that he believed ______________________ to be an artichoke. Miss Apple always says to the class, “Behave ______________________ out there!” “I declare ________________________ to be the winner!” Juan said, even before the starting gun was fired. The tornado blew __________ out before it reached Kansas. We humans see _______________ as the brightest things on the planet.

Look back at the sentences Look back at the sentences. What do you notice about the underlined words and what they refer to? Hint: ive is suffix that means “performs or tends towards, or serves to We were quite concerned when Stuart confessed that he believed himself to be an artichoke. Miss Apple always says to the class, “Behave yourselves out there!” “I declare myself to be the winner!” Juan said, even before the starting gun was fired. The tornado blew itself out before it reached Kansas. We humans see ourselves as the brightest things on the planet.

Here is what you may have noticed: Some are singular (myself, yourself, oneself, himself, herself, itself) Some are plural (ourselves, yourselves, themselves) For both the singular and plural there are 1st, 2nd and 3rd person pronouns. Each one points back towards the subject of the sentence or clause. This type of pronouns is called a REFLEXIVE pronoun.

See if you can figure out which word you would put in each of these blanks: She will do it ________________. The boys baked these scones ______________. The mayor ____________ attended the ceremony. I heard the lie __________________. The dog opened the cupboard ___________________. 

Look back at the sentences Look back at the sentences. What do you notice about the underlined words and what they refer to? She will do it herself. The boys baked these scones themselves. The mayor himself attended the ceremony. I heard the lie myself. The dog opened the cupboard itself. 

Here is what you may have noticed: These pronouns are the same as the reflexive pronouns, but with a different purpose. They are used to emphasize another noun (or pronoun) in the sentence. When used for emphasis, a word like himself is called an intensive pronoun (which is also known as an emphatic pronoun).

Check: Reflexive or Intensive? You can test if it's an intensive pronoun by removing it and seeing if you get the same effect by emphasizing the thing you're trying to emphasize with your voice (shown here in uppercase). SHE will do it. I  heard the lie. THE DOG opened the cupboard.