What Are Emphatic Pronouns | Know About Intensive Pronouns
Emphatic or intensive pronouns
When reflexive pronouns are used to emphasize the subject or antecedent in
a sentence, then they are called emphatic or intensive pronouns. An emphatic
pronoun comes after the subject or after the object.
For example,
1) I myself make my own breakfast.
In the above sentence, 'myself' is used as an emphatic or intensive pronoun. If we remove the pronoun
'myself' and rewrite the sentence like this: 'I make my breakfast.', we notice that the sense or meaning of the sentence didn't change
significantly. In the first sentence, the word 'myself' gives an emphasis on the subject 'I' which means 'no one helps me to make my breakfast, I myself make my breakfast.'
* Reflexive pronouns reflect back upon the subject of a sentence and
emphatic pronouns give emphasis on the subject or object of a
sentence.
More sentences with emphatic pronouns:
1) He himself saw Tom.
2) I myself have completed the entire task. [That means 'no one helped me to complete the task.']
3) I will drive my car myself. [That means 'I will not take any help from anyone to drive my car.']
4) You have to solve the problem yourself. [No one will help you to solve the problem]
5) I told this my best friend himself. [Here 'himself' is used to give an emphasis on the object 'friend', not on the subject 'I'.]
6) Mary herself has made the investigation.
7) Tom himself came to my house.
8) I saw the principal himself talking to John. [Here 'himself' is used to emphasize the principal.]
9) They cleaned their house themselves. [or 'They themselves cleaned their house.']
10) She herself killed her daughter.
* Emphatic pronouns are used to emphasize the subject as well as the
object of a sentence.
For example,
1) I myself have completed the entire work. [Here the emphatic pronoun 'myself' is used to give an emphasis on the subject 'I'.]
2) I saw the chairman himself. [Here the emphatic pronoun 'himself' is used to give an emphasis on the object 'chairman'.]
* It is not that an emphatic pronoun is always placed immediately
after the subject or the object to emphasize the subject or the object
of a sentence. An emphatic pronoun can also be placed at the end of the
sentence to emphasize the subject or the object of a sentence.
For example,
1) I cleaned my room myself. [Here 'myself' is placed at the end of the sentence that is used to emphasize the
subject 'I'. We can write this sentence like this: 'I myself cleaned my room.']
Important notes:
* Reflexive or emphatic pronouns can not be used as the subject in a
sentence.
For example,
1) Myself have done this mistake [Incorrect]
The correct one is:
1) I have done this mistake.
or,
2) I myself have done this mistake. [or 'I have done this mistake
myself.']
Likewise,
1) Tom and myself should go to the market. [Incorrect]
2) Tom and I should go to the market. [Correct]
* When a reflexive pronoun is used with 'by', then it means 'alone'. [In this case, the reflexive pronoun is placed after the preposition
'by'.]
Examples:
1) I like to read a novel by myself. [That means I like to read a novel alone.']
2) I like to study by myself. [I like to study alone]
3) She doesn't like to travel by herself. [She doesn't like to travel alone]
4) My brother is working by himself in the garden. [My brother is working alone in the garden.]
5) Tom is watching a movie by himself. [Tom is watching a movie alone.]
* Sometimes we use a reflexive pronoun as the object in a sentence
incorrectly:
For example,
1) You should talk to John or myself about the next deal. [Incorrect]
The correct one is:
1) You should talk to John or me about the next deal. [Correct]
* Some verbs take reflexive pronouns as an Object:
The following verbs are used with reflexive pronouns:
Absent, avail, exert, resign, pride, present, apply, etc.
Examples:
1) I absented myself from the party. [I was not present at the party]
2) You must avail yourselves of the opportunity of learning English
online. [You must take advantage of learning English online.]
3) I hope, you will exert yourself in time. [I hope, you will make effort(or become applicable) in time.]
4) John applied himself to his studies for one year to learn the English
language. [John gave his full attention to his studies for one year to learn the
English language.]
5) You must apply yourself to your studies to crack the UPSC exam.
[Here 'apply' means 'to give one's full attention to a task', or 'do one's best' or 'make an effort' or 'work hard']
* Some verbs do not take reflexive pronouns:
The following verbs do not take any reflexive pronouns:
Wash, Dress, Shave, Change, Bathe, etc.
Examples:
1) James shaved himself. [Incorrect]
2) James shaved. [Correct]
3) He is dressing himself now. [Incorrect]
4) He is dressing now. [Correct]
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