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What are reflexive pronouns, and when do you need to use them?
There are many specific rules when it comes to using reflexive pronouns, and it can be confusing
If you’re looking for a guide, you’ve come to the right place
This article will explain what reflexive pronouns are, how to use them, and how to avoid common
The plural reflexive pronouns are ourselves, yourselves, and themselves
This way, you can explain what’s happening without having to repeat the same subject twice
For example, you might write the sentence Miranda smiled at Miranda in the mirror, where Miranda is
This sentence is grammatically correct, but it sounds clunky and repetitive, and it also leaves room for
The reflexive pronoun here tells us that Miranda is directing the smile at Miranda, in a smoother
The most common way to use a reflexive pronoun is when the subject of a sentence is
You can use a reflexive pronoun immediately after the subject to make it an intensive pronoun
The purpose of intensive pronouns is to emphasize the subject of the sentence and draw additional attention
Some verbs change their meaning when you add a reflexive pronoun
Before we take a look at common reflexive pronoun mistakes, let's review what we've learned so far:
Many writers mistakenly use reflexive pronouns in cases when they should use a normal pronoun instead
Many people, especially in business settings, will make the mistake of using reflexive pronouns when there are
Don’t use reflexive pronouns after prepositions related to place, such as in front of, behind, near,
We only add a reflexive pronoun after these verbs to emphasize the fact that it’s being
Using pronouns and reflexive pronouns helps your reader follow who is doing what
But using them too frequently makes your writing feel dull or repetitive, especially at the beginning of
Aim to have pronouns make up under 15% of all words in your document
“He was one of those people whose ideas are too lively to be confined in their brains
He talked to himself and the expression of his face changed constantly
“She was a small woman, quite boyish, not exactly short but somehow unreal, as if she were
“The audience held themselves quiet, tense, and tight, as if the song had burned them worse than
“It’s clear, from the stillness she emanates in pictures, how much she mistrusted the camera; she
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