Reflexive and Emphatic Pronouns: The Self-Referencing Mechanics
Learn the rules of Reflexive and Emphatic pronouns for SSC and Banking exams. Master the usage of self-pronouns with verbs like avail, absent, and enjoy.
Understanding the “Self” in Grammar
Imagine you are standing in front of a mirror. When you look into it, you see your own reflection. In English grammar, we have a specific group of words that act just like a mirror. They show that the person doing the action (the Subject) is also the one receiving the action (the Object).
In the previous lesson, we learned about Personal Pronouns like I, He, She, and They. But sometimes, a standard pronoun is not enough. We need a way to show that the action “reflects” back to the doer. These words always end in -self (for one person) or -selves (for more than one).
The Reflexive Pronoun: The Mirror Effect
A Reflexive Pronoun is used when the “doer” and the “receiver” in a sentence are the exactly same person or thing. Without this pronoun, the sentence would often feel incomplete or change its meaning.
For example, if you are holding a knife and accidentally cut your finger, you would say:
- “I cut myself.”
“நான் என்னை வெட்டிக்கொண்டேன்.” “मैंने खुद को चोट पहुँचाई।”
In this sentence, “I” is the subject (the one who cut) and “myself” is the object (the one who got cut). Because the person is the same, we use a reflexive pronoun.
Here are the standard forms you must remember:
| Personal Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun (Singular) | Reflexive Pronoun (Plural) |
|---|---|---|
| I | Myself | — |
| You | Yourself | Yourselves |
| He | Himself | — |
| She | Herself | — |
| It | Itself | — |
| We | — | Ourselves |
| They | — | Themselves |
The Rule of Agreement
A reflexive pronoun must always match its “master” (the subject) in both person (I, You, He) and number (Singular or Plural).
Singular Subject: The boy helped himself (Correct).
ஒருமை எழுவாய் (Singular Subject): அந்தச் சிறுவன் தனக்குத் தானே உதவிக்கொண்டான். एकवचन कर्ता (Singular Subject): लड़के ने खुद की मदद की। Plural Subject: The boys helped themselves (Correct).
பன்மை எழுவாய் (Plural Subject): அந்தச் சிறுவர்கள் தங்களுக்குத் தாங்களே உதவிக்கொண்டார்கள். बहुवचन कर्ता (Plural Subject): लड़कों ने खुद की मदद की। Incorrect: The boys helped hisself (This violates both spelling and number rules).
தவறானது: சிறுவர்கள் hisself உதவிக்கொண்டார்கள். (இது எழுத்துக்கோர்வை மற்றும் எண் விதிகள் இரண்டையும் மீறுகிறது). गलत: लड़कों ने hisself मदद की। (यह स्पेलिंग और संख्या दोनों नियमों का उल्लंघन करता है)।
Additionally, a reflexive pronoun can act as the object of a preposition.
- “She was talking to herself.” (Here, herself follows the preposition ‘to’)
“அவள் தனக்குத்தானே பேசிக்கொண்டிருந்தாள்.” (இங்கு herself என்பது ‘to’ என்ற preposition-ஐப் பின்பற்றுகிறது). “वह खुद से बातें कर रही थी।” (यहाँ herself preposition ‘to’ के बाद आता है)।
Analogy · The Mirror Rule Expand analogy
Think of a Reflexive Pronoun as a mirror. If Rahul looks into a mirror, he sees Rahul. He doesn’t see Sunil. Similarly, if Rahul (Subject) does something to himself (Object), the name in the mirror MUST match the doer.
Important Exam Rule: Verbs That Demand Reflection
This is a favorite topic for SSC and Banking examiners. There are specific verbs in English that must be followed by a reflexive pronoun if there is no other object in the sentence. If you forget to add the “self” word, the sentence is grammatically wrong.
The most common verbs tested are:
Avail: means to take advantage of. (Always followed by of)
Avail: ஒரு வாய்ப்பைப் பயன்படுத்திக்கொள்வது. (எப்போதும் of என்ற சொல்லுடன் வரும்). Avail: लाभ उठाना। (इसके बाद हमेशा of आता है) Absent: means to keep away.
Absent: விலகி இருப்பது அல்லது வராமல் இருப்பது. Absent: अनुपस्थित रहना या दूर रहना। Acquit: means to behave well or perform. (Note: In a court of law, if it means ‘to set free’, it is used in the passive voice: He was acquitted).
Acquit: நன்றாக நடந்துகொள்வது அல்லது செயல்படுவது. (குறிப்பு: நீதிமன்றத்தில் ‘விடுவிப்பது’ என்ற பொருளில் வந்தால், அது Passive Voice-ல் பயன்படுத்தப்படும்). Acquit: अच्छा व्यवहार करना या प्रदर्शन करना। (नोट: अदालत में, यदि इसका अर्थ ‘दोषमुक्त करना’ है, तो इसे Passive Voice में उपयोग किया जाता है: He was acquitted)। Reconcile: means to accept a difficult situation.
Reconcile: ஒரு கடினமான சூழ்நிலையை ஏற்றுக்கொள்வது அல்லது இணங்குவது. Reconcile: किसी कठिन स्थिति को स्वीकार करना या सामंजस्य बिठाना। Apply: means to work hard or focus.
Apply: கடினமாக உழைப்பது அல்லது கவனத்தைச் செலுத்துவது. Apply: कड़ी मेहनत करना या ध्यान केंद्रित करना। Enjoy: means to have a good time.
Enjoy: மகிழ்ச்சியாக நேரத்தைச் செலவிடுவது. Enjoy: आनंद लेना या अच्छा समय बिताना।
Let’s look at how these are tested in exams:
Incorrect: He absented from the meeting.
தவறானது: He absented from the meeting. गलत: He absented from the meeting. Correct: He absented himself from the meeting.
சரியானது: He absented himself from the meeting. सही: He absented himself from the meeting. Incorrect: You must avail of this opportunity.
தவறானது: You must avail of this opportunity. गलत: You must avail of this opportunity. Correct: You must avail yourself of this opportunity.
சரியானது: You must avail yourself of this opportunity. सही: You must avail yourself of this opportunity. Incorrect: She enjoyed at the party.
தவறானது: She enjoyed at the party. गलत: She enjoyed at the party. Correct: She enjoyed herself at the party.
சரியானது: She enjoyed herself at the party. सही: She enjoyed herself at the party.
Note: If the verb already has an object, you do not need the reflexive pronoun. For example, “She enjoyed the movie” is correct because “the movie” is the object. But if you just say “She enjoyed,” the examiner will ask, “Enjoyed what?” You must add “herself” to complete the thought.
The Emphatic Pronoun: The Spotlight
Sometimes, we use the same “-self” words for a completely different reason. Instead of acting as a mirror, they act like a Spotlight. We use them to add “Vajan” (weight) or emphasis to the person doing the action. These are called Emphatic Pronouns.
An Emphatic Pronoun tells the reader: “This person did it personally, and no one else helped.”
Compare these two sentences:
“The Manager solved the problem.” (Basic information)
“The Manager solved the problem.” (அடிப்படைத் தகவல்) “The Manager solved the problem.” (सामान्य जानकारी) “The Manager himself solved the problem.” (Emphasis: Even the high-ranking Manager worked on it!)
“The Manager himself solved the problem.” (முக்கியத்துவம்: உயர்மட்ட அதிகாரியான மேலாளரே இதில் நேரடியாக ஈடுபட்டார்!) “The Manager himself solved the problem.” (जोर: यहाँ तक कि उच्च पद वाले मैनेजर ने भी व्यक्तिगत रूप से इस पर काम किया!)
The biggest difference is that an Emphatic Pronoun is optional. If you remove it, the sentence still makes perfect sense. It can be placed right after the subject or at the very end of the sentence.
“I myself did it.” (Right after subject)
“நானே (I myself) அதைச் செய்தேன்.” (Subject-க்கு அடுத்ததாக) “मैंने स्वयं यह किया है।” (Subject के ठीक बाद) “I did it myself.” (At the end)
“நானே (I did it myself) அதைச் செய்தேன்.” (வாக்கியத்தின் முடிவில்) “मैंने खुद यह काम किया है।” (वाक्य के अंत में)
How to Tell the Difference?
| Feature | Reflexive Pronoun | Emphatic Pronoun |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Shows the action reflects back to the doer. | Adds emphasis or stress to the noun. |
| Necessity | Essential. Removing it breaks the sentence. | Optional. Removing it does not change the basic meaning. |
| Position | Usually comes after the Verb. | Usually comes right after the Subject. |
Common Exam Pitfalls
Examiners often use these pronouns to trick aspirants. Keep these two rules in mind to avoid “Error Spotting” traps:
1. The Subject Trap
A reflexive pronoun can never be the subject of a sentence. It needs a “master” (a personal pronoun or noun) to refer back to.
Incorrect: Myself am Rahul.
தவறானது: Myself am Rahul. गलत: Myself am Rahul. Correct: I am Rahul.
சரியானது: I am Rahul. सही: I am Rahul. Incorrect: Himself will do the work.
தவறானது: Himself will do the work. गलत: Himself will do the work. Correct: He himself will do the work.
சரியானது: He himself will do the work. सही: He himself will do the work.
2. The Spelling Alert
There are no such words as hisself or theirselves in standard English. These are common errors in Indian English. Always use himself and themselves.
3. The Compound Subject Trap
A common mistake is using a reflexive pronoun when listing yourself along with someone else as the “doers” of an action.
Incorrect: Rahul and myself went there.
தவறானது: Rahul and myself went there. गलत: Rahul and myself went there. Correct: Rahul and I went there.
சரியானது: Rahul and I went there. सही: Rahul and I went there.
4. Distributive Pronoun Agreement
Words like everyone, everybody, and every one are singular. They must be followed by a singular reflexive pronoun (himself or herself).
Incorrect: Everyone should prepare themselves.
தவறானது: Everyone should prepare themselves. गलत: Everyone should prepare themselves. Correct: Everyone should prepare himself.
சரியானது: Everyone should prepare himself. सही: Everyone should prepare himself.
5. Normal Transitive Verbs
Some verbs like discuss, describe, order, and request take a direct object (the thing being discussed or ordered) and usually do not need a reflexive pronoun.
- “We discussed the project.” (No reflexive pronoun needed).
“நாங்கள் திட்டத்தைப் பற்றி (the project) விவாதித்தோம்.” (இங்கு Reflexive Pronoun தேவையில்லை). “हमने प्रोजेक्ट (the project) पर चर्चा की।” (यहाँ reflexive pronoun की कोई आवश्यकता नहीं है)।
6. The “No-Self” Verbs
In Indian English, many students habitally use reflexive pronouns with verbs that don’t need them. Verbs like keep, hide, bathe, shave, wash, and stay are usually used without “-self” words.
Incorrect: He hid himself behind the door.
தவறானது: He hid himself behind the door. गलत: He hid himself behind the door. Correct: He hid behind the door.
சரியானது: He hid behind the door. सही: He hid behind the door. Incorrect: You should keep yourself away from bad company.
தவறானது: You should keep yourself away from bad company. गलत: You should keep yourself away from bad company. Correct: You should keep away from bad company.
சரியானது: You should keep away from bad company. सही: You should keep away from bad company.
Key Takeaways
Reflexive Pronouns (myself, himself, etc.) are used when the doer and receiver are the same person.
Reflexive Pronouns (myself, himself போன்றவை) செயலைச் செய்பவரும் பெறுபவரும் ஒருவராக இருக்கும்போது பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன. Reflexive Pronouns (myself, himself आदि) का उपयोग तब किया जाता है जब कार्य करने वाला और कार्य का फल प्राप्त करने वाला एक ही व्यक्ति हो। Specific verbs like avail, absent, and enjoy require a reflexive pronoun if no other object is present.
avail, absent, மற்றும் enjoy போன்ற குறிப்பிட்ட வினைச்சொற்களுக்கு நேரடி Object இல்லையென்றால், ஒரு Reflexive Pronoun கண்டிப்பாகத் தேவை. यदि कोई अन्य कर्म (object) मौजूद नहीं है, तो avail, absent, और enjoy जैसी विशिष्ट क्रियाओं के लिए reflexive pronoun अनिवार्य है। Emphatic Pronouns are used only for emphasis and can be removed without making the sentence wrong.
Emphatic Pronouns முக்கியத்துவத்திற்காக மட்டுமே பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன, அவற்றை நீக்கினாலும் வாக்கியம் தவறாகாது. Emphatic Pronouns का उपयोग केवल जोर (emphasis) देने के लिए किया जाता है और उन्हें हटाने से वाक्य गलत नहीं होता है। Never use a “-self” word as the subject of your sentence (e.g., “Myself is…” is always wrong).
ஒருபோதும் ஒரு “-self” சொல்லை வாக்கியத்தின் Subject-ஆகப் பயன்படுத்தாதீர்கள் (உதாரணமாக, “Myself is…” என்பது எப்போதும் தவறு). कभी भी “-self” शब्द का उपयोग वाक्य के Subject के रूप में न करें (जैसे: “Myself is…” हमेशा गलत है)। Do not use reflexive pronouns with verbs like keep, hide, or bathe unless you want to add very special emphasis.
மிகவும் சிறப்பு முக்கியத்துவம் அளிக்க விரும்பினால் ஒழிய, keep, hide, அல்லது bathe போன்ற வினைச்சொற்களுடன் Reflexive Pronoun-களைப் பயன்படுத்தாதீர்கள். जब तक आप बहुत विशेष जोर नहीं देना चाहते, तब तक keep, hide, या bathe जैसी क्रियाओं के साथ reflexive pronouns का उपयोग न करें। In the next lesson, we will explore how these pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number and person, and understand the usage of Reciprocal Pronouns like each other and one another.
அடுத்த பாடத்திட்டத்தில், இந்த Pronouns-கள் எவ்வாறு அவற்றின் எழுவாயுடன் (antecedent) எண் மற்றும் நபர் அடிப்படையில் உடன்பட வேண்டும் என்பதையும், each other மற்றும் one another போன்ற Reciprocal Pronouns பற்றியும் விரிவாகப் பார்ப்போம். अगले पाठ में, हम यह पता लगाएंगे कि ये सर्वनाम (pronouns) संख्या और व्यक्ति के मामले में अपने पूर्व पदों (antecedents) के साथ कैसे सहमत होने चाहिए, और each other और one another जैसे Reciprocal Pronouns के उपयोग को समझेंगे।
Check Your Understanding
Test your knowledge with these practice questions
Reflexive and Emphatic Pronouns - Practice Quiz
Test your knowledge on self-referencing pronouns. Practice reflexive verb rules and emphasis placement common in SSC and Banking exams.
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