A reflexive pronoun ends in -self (singular) or -selves (plural).
We use it when the subject and the object are the same person or thing.
I → myself I hurt myself.
you → yourself (one person) Help yourself!
he → himself He burned himself.
she → herself She taught herself.
it → itself The oven itself was old.
we → ourselves We cooked it ourselves.
you → yourselves (2+ people) Enjoy yourselves!
they → themselves They did it by themselves.
1. Reflexive Subject = object. Javier burned himself.
2. Emphatic Adds emphasis: "no one else." Mr. Park fixed it himself.
3. by + reflexive Means "alone / without help." They cooked by themselves.
⚠️ Careful: Say himself and themselves — not "hisself" or "theirselves."
And compare: Javier burned himself (Javier = Javier) vs. Jamile helped him (Jamile ≠ Javier).
📘 Read the Story
Every December, Centro Romero has a big holiday dinner. Usually, a restaurant brings the food. This year, the restaurant called at the last minute. Their delivery van had broken down, and they could not come. The director, Ms. Ortiz, looked at the empty tables and said to herself, “What are we going to do now?”
Angie had an idea. “We don’t need a restaurant,” she said. “We can cook the food ourselves. Let’s make it a potluck!” Eric agreed. “The kitchen is ready. We just have to organize ourselves.”
Everyone got to work. Kim Mai made spring rolls. She had taught herself to make them by watching her grandmother. Saeid made rice with saffron. He had never cooked for sixty people before, so he kept talking to himself while he measured the rice. “Two more cups… no, three,” he said to himself.
Luz and Sofia made tamales by themselves in the corner of the kitchen. They worked so fast that the other students stopped to watch. Javier tried to help, but he burned himself on a hot pan. Jamile looked at him and asked, “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” he said. “I only hurt myself a little. I need to be more careful.”
Jamile decided to bake a cake, but the oven itself was a problem. It was very old, and it made a strange noise. Mr. Park, the janitor, came into the kitchen. “Don’t worry,” he told her. “I’ll fix it myself.” Ten minutes later, the oven was working again. Mr. Park was very proud of himself.
Meanwhile, Nicely set up the tables. She looked at herself in the window and laughed. There was flour on her nose and in her hair. “I look like a cake myself!” she said.
At six o’clock, the guests began to arrive. Families, teachers, and neighbors came through the door. Ms. Ortiz introduced herself to the new students’ families. Then she stood in front of the room and said, “Tonight, the students made all of this food themselves. Please help yourselves!”
The guests filled their plates. All of them were enjoying themselves. Javier forgot about his hand. Saeid’s rice was perfect, and he could hardly believe it himself. The children ran around the tables, and their parents told them, “Behave yourselves!”
At the end of the night, Angie looked around the room. “The restaurant didn’t come,” she said, “but we took care of ourselves.” Eric smiled. “Next year,” he said, “maybe we should cancel the restaurant ourselves.”
🧠 Vocabulary — Matching A Matched: 0/8
Click a reflexive pronoun. Then click the subject pronoun that goes with it.
Reflexive Pronouns
Subjects
🧠 Vocabulary — Matching B Matched: 0/5
Click an expression. Then click the matching meaning.
Expressions
Meanings
📖 Reflexive or Not? Answered: 0/8
Choose the correct pronoun. Be careful: sometimes the answer is not reflexive!
1. Ms. Ortiz said to ______, “What are we going to do now?”
2. Saeid kept talking to ______ while he measured the rice.
3. Jamile looked at Javier and asked ______ if he was okay.
4. Javier said, “I only hurt ______ a little.”
5. Mr. Park fixed the oven for Jamile. He helped ______.
6. Luz and Sofia made the tamales by ______.
7. Ms. Ortiz told all the guests, “Please help ______!”
8. The guests thanked the students and told ______ the food was delicious.
❓ Comprehension — Multiple Choice Answered: 0/6
1. Why didn’t the restaurant bring the food?
2. How did Kim Mai learn to make spring rolls?
3. What happened to Javier?
4. Who fixed the old oven?
5. Why did Nicely laugh when she looked at herself in the window?
6. What did Ms. Ortiz tell the guests?
✍️ Cloze Activity A Filled: 0/12
Sentences from the story. Some words appear more than once in the word bank.
herself
ourselves
herself
himself
themselves
himself
myself
itself
himself
herself
yourselves
ourselves
1. Ms. Ortiz said to , “What are we going to do now?”
2. “We can cook the food ,” said Angie.
3. Kim Mai taught to make spring rolls.
4. Saeid kept talking to while he measured the rice.
5. Luz and Sofia made tamales by .
6. Javier burned on a hot pan.
7. “I only hurt a little,” said Javier.
8. The oven was a problem.
9. Mr. Park was very proud of .
10. Nicely looked at in the window.
11. Ms. Ortiz told the guests, “Please help !”
12. “We took care of ,” said Angie.
✍️ Cloze Activity B Filled: 0/12
New sentences. Look carefully at the subject of each sentence.
myself
yourself
themselves
himself
ourselves
itself
yourselves
herself
yourself
herself
themselves
myself
1. I cut while I was chopping onions.
2. Be careful with that knife, Luz! Don’t cut .
3. The children dressed for the party.
4. My brother repaired his car .
5. We really enjoyed at the potluck.
6. The kitchen door closes by .
7. Students, please introduce to the class.
8. Jamile was angry at for forgetting the sugar.
9. Don’t blame , Javier. It was an accident.
10. My grandmother lives by .
11. The students made all the decorations .
12. I taught to play the guitar.
✔️ True or False Answered: 0/6
1. The restaurant brought the food late.
2. Saeid talked to himself while he measured the rice.
3. Luz and Sofia needed a lot of help with the tamales.
4. Mr. Park fixed the oven himself.
5. Javier hurt himself badly and had to go to the hospital.
6. The guests enjoyed themselves at the potluck.
🔢 Sequencing A In place: 0/5
Put the events in the correct order. Drag the cards or tap two cards to switch them.
The restaurant called because their van had broken down.
Ms. Ortiz looked at the empty tables and talked to herself.
Angie said the students could cook the food themselves.
Saeid talked to himself while he measured the rice.
Javier burned himself on a hot pan.
🔢 Sequencing B In place: 0/5
Put the events in the correct order. Drag the cards or tap two cards to switch them.
Mr. Park fixed the old oven himself.
Nicely saw herself in the window and laughed.
Ms. Ortiz introduced herself to the new families.
Ms. Ortiz told the guests to help themselves.
Angie said, “We took care of ourselves.”
🧩 For Example — Make Your Own Sentences
Use the reflexive pronoun in a complete sentence. Add a period.
1. myself
2. yourself / yourselves
3. himself / herself
4. ourselves
5. themselves
💬 Discussion & Writing
What is something you taught yourself to do? How did you learn it?
What dish can you make by yourself? Who taught you?
Have you ever hurt yourself while cooking? What happened?
Why was Mr. Park so proud of himself? When do you feel proud of yourself?
Is it better to do things by yourself or with other people? Why?
Write a short paragraph about a party or celebration. Use at least five reflexive pronouns.
🎭 Role Play — The Potluck Kitchen
Ms. Ortiz: The restaurant isn’t coming. I keep asking myself what we can do.
Angie: Don’t worry. We can cook the food ourselves. Let’s make it a potluck!
Javier: Good idea. Let’s organize ourselves. Kim Mai taught herself to make spring rolls, and Saeid can make rice.
Angie: And Luz and Sofia can make the tamales by themselves.
Javier: Ouch! I just burned myself on this pan.
Angie: Are you okay? Put your hand under cold water. Don’t blame yourself.
Mr. Park: What’s that strange noise? Is it the oven?
Angie: Yes. Jamile wants to bake a cake, but the oven itself is very old.
Mr. Park: Step back, everyone. I’ll fix it myself.
Ms. Ortiz: Hello, everyone! Let me introduce myself. I’m the director here.
Ms. Ortiz: The students made all of this food themselves. Please help yourselves!
Javier: Look at Saeid. His rice is perfect, and he’s talking to himself again!
Angie: The restaurant didn’t come, but we took care of ourselves.
Mr. Park: And I fixed the oven by myself. I’m very proud of myself.
📝 Answer Key
Vocabulary Matching A: myself = I. yourself = you (one person). himself = he. herself = she. itself = it. ourselves = we. yourselves = you (two or more people). themselves = they.
Vocabulary Matching B: help yourselves = take the food you want. enjoy yourselves = have a good time. by themselves = alone, without help. teach yourself = learn without a teacher. behave yourselves = act politely.
Comprehension: 1 Their delivery van broke down. 2 She taught herself by watching her grandmother. 3 He burned himself on a hot pan. 4 Mr. Park. 5 She had flour on her nose and in her hair. 6 “Please help yourselves!”
Sequencing A: The restaurant called because their van had broken down. Ms. Ortiz looked at the empty tables and talked to herself. Angie said the students could cook the food themselves. Saeid talked to himself while he measured the rice. Javier burned himself on a hot pan.
Sequencing B: Mr. Park fixed the old oven himself. Nicely saw herself in the window and laughed. Ms. Ortiz introduced herself to the new families. Ms. Ortiz told the guests to help themselves. Angie said, “We took care of ourselves.”