Intensive Pronouns | Examples & List
An intensive pronoun (e.g., “myself” or “itself”) refers to another noun or pronoun in the same sentence. The purpose of an intensive pronoun is to show that a person or thing is exceptional, successful, or self-sufficient (because it’s mentioned twice).
In English, the intensive pronouns are the same words as the reflexive pronouns. These words begin with a possessive determiner (e.g., “her”) or an object pronoun (e.g., “him”). They also end in “-self” or “-selves,” depending on whether they’re singular or plural. There are intensive forms for all of the personal pronouns and the impersonal pronoun “one.”
Pronoun | Person | Number | Examples |
---|---|---|---|
Myself | First | Singular | Some people like bragging, but I myself am quite humble. |
Ourselves | First | Plural | We don’t need to buy lettuce. We’re growing it ourselves! |
Yourself | Second | Singular | You said yourself that you’re wary of fad diets. |
Yourselves | Second | Plural | Did the two of you really draw these pictures yourselves? |
Himself | Third | Singular | Trey himself said, “Keep what’s important, and know who’s your friend.” |
Herself | Third | Singular | Margaret herself wrote several dystopian novels. |
Themself | Third | Singular | Sam themself won five Grammy awards. |
Themselves | Third | Singular | Each voter needs to cast a ballot themselves. |
Themselves | Third | Plural | The students organized the homecoming parade themselves. |
Oneself | Third | Singular | Anyone who wants something done right should do it oneself. |
Itself | Third | Singular | This robot vacuum itself is the hardest-working member of this family. |
“Themselves” and “themself” are both correct singular, third-person intensive pronouns, but some style guides or instructors recommend one instead of the other. When you’re unsure about which one to use, ask your instructor, or consult the style guide you’re using (e.g., APA).
What is an intensive pronoun?
An intensive pronoun is a form of repetition to emphasize another noun or pronoun in the same sentence. Intensive pronouns like “himself” or “myself” can only be part of a sentence that includes its antecedent (the noun that it represents) or a pronoun with the same antecedent.
An intensive pronoun is usually located right after the noun or pronoun it emphasizes or after the sentence’s verb. In rare cases, it might go before the noun or pronoun it emphasizes.
When the intensive pronoun is near the noun, it emphasizes that the person is exceptional or did/does something to a strong degree. Sometimes it’s like saying “and no one else.” When the reflexive pronoun goes after the verb, it means that the person performed the action without anyone’s help.
Myself, I prefer a mixture of weight training and cardio. [I, to a strong degree, prefer a mixture of weight training and cardio.]
Students get better at math when they practice solving problems themselves. [Students get better at math when they practice solving problems without anyone’s help.]
Reflexive vs intensive pronouns
The English words that are intensive pronouns can also be reflexive pronouns. Even though the words are the same, intensive and reflexive pronouns have different roles in sentences.
- An intensive pronoun is used to emphasize another noun or pronoun in the same sentence. If an intensive pronoun is removed, the sentence still makes sense (even though it doesn’t have the same tone or emphasis).
- A reflexive pronoun replaces an object in a sentence, but only if the subject is the reflexive pronoun’s antecedent or a pronoun with the same antecedent. It can be a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition. A sentence with a reflexive pronoun doesn’t make sense without it.
Reflexive pronouns | Intensive pronouns |
---|---|
Marc rewarded himself with a trip to Ireland. | Marc himself graduated with honors last year. |
You should give yourself a nice long nap. | You said yourself that there’s no rest for the wicked! |
The children helped themselves to all the Halloween candy. | The children made these costumes themselves. |
Frequently asked questions about intensive pronouns
- Is themself or themselves singular?
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Both “themselves” and “themself” can be used with the singular they. “Themselves” tends to be more widely accepted, especially for style guides, but “themself” has become more common in the English language.
For example, “Justin helped themself/themselves to another serving of dinner.”
- Is itself a pronoun?
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Itself is an intensive pronoun or a reflexive pronoun. It’s also a singular, third-person pronoun. “Itself” refers to a noun that’s not a person.
As an intensive pronoun, “itself” emphasizes another noun with the same meaning in the same sentence (e.g., “The smartphone itself affects neurotransmitters”).
As a reflexive pronoun, “itself” can be a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition (e.g., “The iron automatically turns itself off after 5 minutes”).
Whether it’s a reflexive pronoun or an intensive pronoun, “itself” can only be used when its antecedent (the noun that it represents) or a pronoun with the same antecedent is part of the same sentence.
When you’re using “itself” and other pronouns in your writing, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
- How do you use myself in a sentence?
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You can only use myself in a sentence that also includes the singular, first-person pronoun “I.”
“Myself” is an intensive pronoun or a reflexive pronoun. It’s also a singular, first-person pronoun.
As a first-person intensive pronoun, “myself” emphasizes “I” when it’s part of the same sentence (e.g., “I myself believe that everyone deserves to be happy”).
As a reflexive pronoun, “myself” can be a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition when the subject of the same sentence is “I” (e.g., “I was thirsty, so I poured myself some lemonade”).
When you’re using “myself” and other pronouns in your writing, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
- How do you use yourself in a sentence?
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You can use yourself in a sentence that also has the singular, second-person pronoun “you” as the subject.
“Yourself” can be an intensive pronoun or a reflexive pronoun.
As an intensive pronoun, “yourself” emphasizes “you” or the person you’re speaking or writing to (e.g., “I’m impressed that you made this sushi yourself”).
As a reflexive pronoun, “yourself” can be a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition when the subject of the same sentence is “you” (e.g., “You should take more time for yourself”).
In sentences that use the imperative mood, “you” is not directly stated, but it’s implied, so you can use “yourself” in imperative sentences, too (“Take a few cookies for yourself and a few more for your friends”).
When you’re using “yourself” and other pronouns in your writing, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.