Here's a breakdown of what you need to know:
* They are formed by adding "self" or "selves" to a personal pronoun:
* myself (I)
* yourself (you)
* himself (he)
* herself (she)
* itself (it)
* ourselves (we)
* yourselves (you)
* themselves (they)
* They are used to emphasize the noun or pronoun they refer to:
* I did it myself. (Emphasizes that the speaker did the action alone)
* She wrote the letter herself. (Emphasizes that the woman wrote the letter personally)
* They built the house themselves. (Emphasizes that the group built the house without help)
* They can also be used for reflexive actions:
* He hurt himself. (The action affects the subject)
* The cat washed itself. (The action affects the subject)
Key Differences from Reflexive Pronouns:
While emphatic pronouns share the same forms as reflexive pronouns, there's a subtle difference:
* Reflexive pronouns are required for grammatical correctness and show the action reflects back on the subject.
* Emphatic pronouns are optional and add emphasis, often to distinguish the subject from others.
Examples:
* Reflexive: "The dog scratched itself behind the ear." (Required)
* Emphatic: "The dog scratched itself behind the ear, ignoring the treats I offered." (Optional, adds emphasis)
In summary, emphatic pronouns emphasize a noun or pronoun, while reflexive pronouns show an action that reflects back on the subject.