Reflexive Pronoun
How do I check the use of reflexive pronouns when I do the proofreading myself?
Sometimes a sentence can have the subject itself as its object. See sentence 11 below. Reflexive pronoun is used in such situations.
Reflexive pronoun is also used for the sake of emphasis, as in 8 below.
When you do proofreading, you will say the following sentences are incorrect;
My mother sent a gift to my sister and myself.
Myself will answer your question.
Himself is my brother.
Themselves are from London.
The letter was addressed to John and yourself.
This is a call which is to be taken by him and yourself.
Your proofreading will find the following to be correct.
I saw it myself.
My boss inspected it himself.
My brother wrote this poem himself.
I am going - and you?
My grandfather fell and hurt himself.
Two simple rules would help you handle reflexive pronouns properly, in your proofreading attempt.
Never use it when a simple pronoun can be used. Thus, you will change the sentence 5 to read as, “The letter was addressed to John and you”
If you have not used “I” earlier in the sentence, do not use “myself”. Apply this rule in other cases.
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