In English grammar, there are two types of pronouns that often cause confusion: emphasizing pronouns and reflexive pronouns . Understanding the difference between them can help clarify their usage in sentences.
Reflexive Pronouns are used when the subject and the object of the sentence are the same. They reflect the action back to the subject. For example, in the sentence "The boys hid themselves," 'themselves' is a reflexive pronoun. The boys are both doing the hiding and receiving the action.
Emphasizing Pronouns are used to emphasize the subject of the sentence. They add importance or intensity to the subject. For example, in "The Queen herself came to see the magician," 'herself' is an emphasizing pronoun. It highlights that the Queen personally came.
Let's categorize each sentence:
The boys hid themselves. - Reflexive
The Queen herself came to see the magician. - Emphasizing
Raman fed the dogs himself. - Emphasizing
You created this work of art yourself. - Emphasizing
The cats themselves looked after the lost pup. - Emphasizing
You yourself should focus on health and fitness. - Emphasizing
You always think about yourself. - Reflexive
He himself made the remark. - Emphasizing
By understanding these definitions and examples, you can better identify whether a pronoun is reflexive or emphasizing based on its role in a sentence.