1. They must refer back to the subject of the sentence. This means they cannot stand alone as the subject. For example:
* Correct: "John hurt himself." (himself refers back to John)
* Incorrect: "Himself hurt John." (Himself cannot be the subject)
2. They must match the person and number of the subject. This means they must agree with the subject in terms of who is performing the action (first, second, or third person) and whether it is singular or plural. Here's a table showing the reflexive pronouns:
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| First | myself | ourselves |
| Second | yourself | yourselves |
| Third | himself, herself, itself | themselves |
Examples:
* First person: "I hurt myself."
* Second person: "You hurt yourself."
* Third person: "She hurt herself."
* Plural: "They hurt themselves."
Let me know if you'd like more examples!