When ‘self’ is added to my, your, him, her, it and ‘–selves’ to our, your, them, we get what we call compound personal pronouns.

Compound pronouns can be used reflexively and emphatically.

Read the following sentences and state whether the compound personal pronouns are used reflexively or emphatically.

1. I hurt myself while playing.

2. I myself saw him do it.

3. You will hurt yourself.

4. I will do it myself.

5. They themselves admitted their guilt.

6. I myself baked this cake.

7. The mother herself took the child to the doctor.

8. You are deceiving yourself.

9. The man killed himself.

10. I myself heard the remark.

11. The town itself is not very large.

Answers

1. I hurt myself while playing. (myself – reflexive pronoun)

2. I myself saw him do it. (myself – emphatic pronoun)

3. You will hurt yourself. (yourself – reflexive pronoun)

4. I will do it myself. (myself – emphatic pronoun)

5. They themselves admitted their guilt. (themselves – emphatic pronoun)

6. I myself baked this cake. (myself – emphatic pronoun)

7. The mother herself took the child to the doctor. (herself – emphatic pronoun)

8. You are deceiving yourself. (yourself – reflexive pronoun)

9. The man killed himself. (himself – reflexive pronoun)

10. I myself heard the remark. (myself – emphatic pronoun)

11. The town itself is not very large. (Itself – emphatic pronoun)