Intensive Pronouns
* Function: Emphasize a noun or pronoun that already exists in the sentence.
* Usage: They are used to add emphasis and are optional. The sentence would still make sense without them.
* Examples:
* "I myself did the homework." (emphasizes "I")
* "The dog itself chased its tail." (emphasizes "dog")
* "We cleaned the house ourselves." (emphasizes "we")
Reflexive Pronouns
* Function: Refer back to the subject of the sentence. They are necessary for the sentence to make sense.
* Usage: They are used as the object of a verb or preposition.
* Examples:
* "She hurt herself." (object of the verb "hurt")
* "He bought himself a new car." (object of the preposition "for")
* "The children enjoyed themselves at the park." (object of the verb "enjoyed")
Key Differences
| Feature | Intensive Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Emphasize | Refer back to the subject |
| Necessity | Optional | Essential for sentence meaning |
| Position | Usually follows the noun or pronoun | Typically occurs later in the sentence |
| Examples | "I myself did it." | "He hurt himself." |
Remember:
* The pronouns used for both intensive and reflexive purposes are the same: *myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.*
* If removing the pronoun from the sentence changes the meaning, then it is a reflexive pronoun. If the sentence still makes sense, then it is an intensive pronoun.