reflexive intensive · reflexive pronouns are essential to the correct meaning of the sentence;...

Reflexive & Intensive

modified from Parts of Speech notes from Richard Soash summer of 2010 ~ Writing Coach TE~

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/pronouns1.htm

PowerPoint file found in Grammar/Pronouns/Reflexive.Intensive folder

Reflexive Pronouns

reflects action back to the noun or pronoun just named

•myself •yourself •himself •herself •itself •ourselves •themselves

Examples:

•He sent himself a text message. •They hid themselves.

Intensive Pronouns

adds intensity to the noun or pronoun just named

it is best to avoid writing with

intensive pronouns as in #1 above

Examples:

1. I myself made supper.

2. Did you lift that yourself?

3. The president himself will

visit us.?

1. The children taught Italian.

2. I forced to sit still.

3. She drove to the hospital.

How to tell the Difference

reflexive pronouns are essential to the correct

meaning of the sentence; whereas, intensive

pronouns emphasize & can be left out

Answer • #2 doesn’t make sense

• #1 & #3 make sense but add a reflexive

pronoun & the meaning changes

1. The children taught

themselves Italian.

2. I forced myself to sit

still.

3. She drove herself to

the hospital.

How to tell the Difference

see the difference when reflexive pronouns are

added...

Jane poured herself a glass

of water.

Identify the reflexive pronoun & its

antecedent

Jane poured herself a glass

of water.

They made themselves

some turkey sandwiches.

Identify the reflexive pronoun & its

antecedent

They made themselves

some turkey sandwiches.

The mayor herself attended

the carnival.

Identify the intensive pronoun & its

antecedent

The mayor herself attended

the carnival.

Now we’ll do some

practice with

reflexive &

intensive

pronouns

modified from Writing Coach, TE, page 305

provide a reflexive or intensive pronoun

Will you and Jim

do all the work

_______?

1


answer

Will you and Jim

do all the work

yourselves?

1



I bought ____ a

new jacket.

2


answer

I bought myself

a new jacket.

2



She wondered

whether she could

lift the huge

bundle ___. 3


answer

She wondered

whether she could

lift the huge

bundle herself. 3



You should be

able to complete

this project

_____. 4


answer

You should be

able to complete

this project

yourself. 4



We did not care

for the location,

but the house

___ was lovely. 5


answer

We did not care

for the location,

but the house

itself was lovely. 5



The students

____ made all the

posters.

6


answer

The students

themselves made

all the posters.

6



Jason promised

____ he would

exercise more

often. 7


answer

Jason promised

himself he would

exercise more

often. 7



We planned the

entire event ___.

8



We planned the

entire event

ourselves. 8



Liz sometimes

gives ____ pep

talks. 9


answer

Liz sometimes

gives herself

pep talks. 9



We ____ were

not interested in

seeing that

exhibit. 10


answer

We ourselves were

not interested in

seeing that exhibit.

10

...now on to

independent or

partner practice

reflexive intensive · reflexive pronouns are essential to the correct meaning of the sentence;...

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