English Language Arts
Grade 11
15 min
Use reflexive pronouns
Use reflexive pronouns
What you'll learn
- Identify reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves) in at least 4 out of 5 sentences.
- Choose the correct reflexive pronoun to complete 3 out of 4 sentences so that the pronoun refers back to the subject of the sentence.
- Explain, in your own words, what a reflexive pronoun is and why we use it, using at least two examples.
- Rewrite 2 simple sentences, adding a reflexive pronoun to show that the subject is acting upon themselves.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify reflexive pronouns within complex sentences from American literature.
Differentiate between the grammatical function of reflexive and intensive pronouns.
Correct common errors in reflexive pronoun usage, such as using them as subjects or in compound objects.
Analyze the rhetorical effect of an author's choice to use a reflexive pronoun for characterization or thematic development.
Integrate reflexive pronouns with precision and purpose into their own analytical and synthesis essays.
Evaluate sentences for correct pronoun-antecedent agreement with reflexive pronouns (e.g., 'themselves' vs. 'themself').
Ever had a character in a novel sabotage themselves, or an author declare they wrote the book for themselves alone? 🤔 Und...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Reflexive PronounA pronoun ending in '-self' or '-selves' that acts as an object and refers back to the subject of the same clause. It is essential to the meaning of the sentence.In 'The Great Gatsby,' Gatsby reinvents himself to win Daisy's love. (Removing 'himself' would make the sentence nonsensical: 'Gatsby reinvents.')
Intensive PronounA pronoun ending in '-self' or '-selves' that emphasizes its antecedent (the noun or pronoun it refers to). It is not essential to the sentence's grammatical meaning.Emerson himself believed that nonconformity was a virtue. (Removing 'himself' leaves a grammatically correct sentence: 'Emerson believed...')
AntecedentThe noun or pron...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Subject-Object Identity Rule
Use a reflexive pronoun as a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition ONLY when it refers to the same noun or pronoun that is the subject of the clause.
This is the fundamental rule. If the action is being done *by* the subject *to* or *for* the same subject, a reflexive pronoun is required. If the object is a different person or thing, use a standard object pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them).
The Non-Subject Rule
Reflexive pronouns can never function as the subject or part of a compound subject in a sentence.
This is a common grammatical error. Avoid starting a sentence with 'Myself...' or saying 'My partner and myself...' The correct pronouns would be 'I' and 'My partner and I...'...
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Challenging
You are writing a synthesis essay on identity in American literature. Which sentence most effectively uses a reflexive pronoun to synthesize the ideas of self-creation in both "The Great Gatsby" and Whitman's "Song of Myself"?
A.Gatsby and Whitman's speaker concern themselves with the idea of identity.
B.Both Gatsby and the speaker in Whitman's poem present themselves as archetypes of American individualism, though Gatsby's self-creation is a fragile illusion while Whitman's is an expansive celebration.
C.The authors themselves, Fitzgerald and Whitman, explore the concept of the self-made man.
D.For myself, I believe that both Gatsby and Whitman's speaker are focused on their public image.
Challenging
An author writes: "The system perpetuates itself." A critic argues that "The system is self-perpetuating" would be a stronger choice. From a rhetorical standpoint, what is the most significant effect lost by changing the original sentence?
A.The original phrasing personifies the system, using the reflexive pronoun to give it a sense of conscious agency and deliberate action in its own survival.
B.The original phrasing is more grammatically correct because 'self-perpetuating' is not a real word.
C.The revised sentence is passive, while the original is active, which is always preferable.
D.The revised sentence loses the antecedent for the pronoun, making it unclear.
Challenging
In the context of an AP-style analysis of a character's internal conflict, which sentence provides the most nuanced and grammatically precise use of a reflexive pronoun?
A.The protagonist's conflict with his father and myself is central to the plot.
B.Torn by indecision, the protagonist could not help himself.
C.The protagonist found himself torn between his loyalty to his community and his personal convictions, an internal division that defines his tragic journey.
D.The protagonist himself is the source of all his problems.
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What grade level is "Use reflexive pronouns"?
Use reflexive pronouns is a Grade 11 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Use reflexive pronouns?
You'll be able to: Identify reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves) in at least 4 out of 5 sentences; Choose the correct reflexive pronoun to complete 3 out of 4 sentences so that the….
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This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.