English Language Arts
Grade 7
15 min
Choose between personal and reflexive pronouns
Choose between personal and reflexive pronouns
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Distinguish between personal and reflexive pronouns.
Identify the antecedent of a reflexive pronoun.
Correctly use personal pronouns as subjects and objects.
Correctly use reflexive pronouns to refer back to the subject of a sentence.
Explain the difference between reflexive and intensive pronouns.
Avoid common errors in choosing between personal and reflexive pronouns.
Ever wonder if you should say 'I taught *myself*' or 'I taught *me*'? 🤔 Let's clear up that confusion!
This lesson will teach you how to correctly choose between personal pronouns (like 'I,' 'me,' 'he,' 'him') and reflexive pronouns (like 'myself,' 'himself,' 'themselves'). Mastering this skill...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
PronounA word that takes the place of a noun or another pronoun.*She* reads a book. ('She' replaces a person's name.)
AntecedentThe noun or pronoun that a pronoun refers back to.*Sarah* read; *she* enjoyed it. ('Sarah' is the antecedent of 'she'.)
Personal PronounPronouns that refer to specific people or things, indicating person (first, second, third), number (singular, plural), and case (subjective, objective, possessive).Subject: *I*, *you*, *he*, *she*, *it*, *we*, *they*. Object: *me*, *you*, *him*, *her*, *it*, *us*, *them*.
Reflexive PronounPronouns that end in -self (singular) or -selves (plural) and refer back to the subject of the sentence, indicating that the subject is performing an action upon itself.He taught *himself*...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Rule for Reflexive Pronouns
Use a reflexive pronoun (-self/-selves) when the subject of the sentence is also the direct or indirect object of the action. The action 'reflects' back on the subject.
This means the person or thing doing the action is also the person or thing receiving the action. If you can remove the -self pronoun and the sentence no longer makes sense or changes meaning significantly, it's likely a reflexive pronoun.
Rule for Personal Pronouns (Subject/Object)
Use a subject personal pronoun (I, he, she, we, they) when it performs the action. Use an object personal pronoun (me, him, her, us, them) when it receives the action or is the object of a preposition.
To test if you need a subject or object pronoun in a compound subject/object, try the s...
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Challenging
The tutorial states: "If you can remove the -self/-selves pronoun from the sentence and the sentence still makes complete sense, it is an intensive pronoun." Which sentence is the BEST example of this rule?
A.The students prepared themselves for the exam.
B.I myself will ensure the project is completed on time.
C.We need to believe in ourselves.
D.He hurt himself during the game.
Challenging
Consider the sentence: "The CEO appointed him as the new vice president." How would the meaning change if the pronoun 'him' were replaced with 'himself'?
A.It would mean the CEO became the new vice president in addition to being CEO.
B.It would mean the vice president was appointed by someone other than the CEO.
C.The meaning would not change, but the sentence would become more formal.
D.The sentence would become grammatically incorrect.
Challenging
Read the passage: "(1) The team captain and I accepted the trophy. (2) The coach told the other players and us to be proud. (3) The captain, however, was angry with himself for a mistake he made. (4) He said that myself and the team deserved a better performance." Which sentence contains a pronoun error?
A.Sentence 1
B.Sentence 2
C.Sentence 3
D.Sentence 4
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