It is used in the cases which people are affected by their work themselves, in other words, in the cases which subject and object are the same person.

FOR EXAMPLE

• Look at your arm. You have painted yourself.
• I cut myself while I was peeling potatoes for dinner.
• Talking to oneself is the first sign of madness.

Reflexive pronouns can apostrophize to possessive statements and objects as well.

FOR EXAMPLE

• Her stories are all about herself.

‘Object pronoun’ is used after a preposition reporting place, not ‘reflexive pronoun’.

FOR EXAMPLE

• I didn’t have any money with … . 

a) her (true)   b) myself (false)

• She didn’t see the car behind … while she was parking. 

a) her (true)   b) herself (false)

• He is very angry with himself. 

(It should be noted that the act of anger returns to the subject by using reflexive pronouns because there is a possibility of being angry with someone else in this sentence.)

Reflexive pronoun structures can be used in sentence at different places to emphasize at meaning “my own self, me myself and I / in the flesh, in person”.

FOR EXAMPLE

• I myself want to see the manager. 
• They talked to the doctor himself. 

Reflexive pronoun structures can be used at meaning “alone” or “without help from anyone else” in form of”by+reflexive pronoun”. This meaning can be given with the usage of ‘on my/his/their own’.

FOR EXAMPLE

• The old woman lives by herself in an enormous house. 
• Hillary was only four but she wrote her name all by herself. 
• It’s a big garden, but we do all the gardening (by) ourselves. 
• Little Tom made that cake all by himself. 

There are some idioms used with ‘reflexive pronouns’. Please, examine the examples below.

FOR EXAMPLE

• I hope the fanatic supporters behave themselves this time. (stand smarter)

• Please help yourself to the food, won’t you? (When someone is asked to buy from foods and drinks, it is used at meaning “go ahead”.)
• Please make yourself at home. (It is used when someone is invited and told to comfort oneself as if one self home.)

Reflexive pronouns can be used in order to emphasize.

FOR EXAMPLE

• Do it yourself. 
• The house itself is nice, but the garden is very small. 

There is not reflexive structure describing possessive. Instead, “my own, your own, his own etc.” usages are used.

FOR EXAMPLE

• I only wash my own clothes. (NOT …myself’s clothes)

The verbs as “wash, dress, shave” are not used with reflexive pronouns in English.

• I shave on Mondays. (NOT …shave myself)

However, reflexive pronouns can be used when it need to clear who the action is made by.

FOR EXAMPLE

• My son is old enough to dress himself. 

Those are other some verbs which are not used with reflexive pronouns:

FOR EXAMPLE

• All of a sudden, one of the windows opened. 
• Her latest book is selling well.
• You should try to concentrate. 
• I feel funny. (NOT I feel myself funny.) 

“Reflexive pronouns” are used in the sentences that its subject and its object are same. It indicates that the subject is influenced by his/her work.

FOR EXAMPLE

• After years of experience, I have taught myself to tolerate people. 
• As we were waiting for the results, we all prepared ourselves for the worst.

FOR EXAMPLE

• I feel nervous.
• Hande couldn’t concentrate on the film due to the noise. 

FOR EXAMPLE

• We were filled with joy when we saw our two-year old son dressed himself.

When it is used with ‘by’ preposition, it is emphasized that the action was made only by that person without help.

FOR EXAMPLE

• You should learn to get over troubles by yourself. 
• It is not advisable to let little children play near the swimming pool by themselves. 

These pronouns can characterise both subject and object.

FOR EXAMPLE

• Grandad saw Atatürk himself in 1930. 
• I talked to the children themselves; I didn’t complain to their parents. 

“Reflexive pronouns” can be used after a preposition.

FOR EXAMPLE

• She only thinks of herself. 
• When her mind is too busy with something, Laura talks to herself. 

However, “reflexive pronouns” cannot be used, and “object pronouns” is used if the preposition in the sentence is used for locating.

FOR EXAMPLE

• Martha placed her handbag in front of her.
• Please, don’t bring your cousin with you because she is too naughty. 

FOR EXAMPLE

• I hope you will like the film. Enjoy yourself! 
• Come on kids! Help yourselves to these delicious chocolate cookies! 

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