Introduction

• We use reflexive pronouns instead of the object pronoun:
  • "I look at myself in the mirror." (not "I look at me in the mirror.")
  • "I bought something for myself." (not "I bought something for me.")
    "I" am both the subject and the object. If the object is different, we use an object pronoun: "I look at him in the mirror." or "I bought something for him."
     
• We use reflexive pronouns to stress the subject performing the action:
  • "I drove the car myself."
    I drove the car, not someone else.
     
• We use reflexive pronouns with "by" to stress the subject and not another person, or to mean "alone" (for "alone", we must use "by"):
  • "I drove the car by myself."
    I drove it, not someone else, or I was alone when I drove the car.
  • "She waited in the room by herself." (not "She waited in the room herself.")
    She waited in the room alone.

Form

• Sarah could see herself in the reflection.
  The subject and the object are the same person. (not "She could see by herself" … or "Sarah could see her.")
   
• He did the work himself.
  He did the work, no one else.
   
• He did the work by himself.
  He did the work, no one else, or he was alone when he did the work.
   
• I don’t want to go to the party by myself.
  I don’t want to go to the party alone (note that "I don’t want to go to the party myself" means something different. This means: Personally (if I speak for myself), I don’t want to go to the party.)
   

Practice

Complete the sentences with the correct reflexive pronoun with by if appropriate:

Further practice