Difference Between Reflexive and Emphatic Pronouns
| Aspect | Reflexive Pronouns | Emphatic Pronouns |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To refer back to the subject of the sentence as the direct or indirect object, or object of a preposition. | To emphasize the subject or object of the sentence. |
| Necessity in the Sentence | Essential for indicating the subject performs an action on itself. | Optional; used for adding emphasis without changing the sentence’s basic meaning. |
| Example Usage | ‘She injured herself.’ | ‘He himself made the dinner.’ |
| Removability | Cannot be removed without altering the meaning or making the sentence grammatically incorrect. | Can be removed without affecting the fundamental structure or meaning of the sentence. |
| Construction | Constructed with the base pronoun + self/selves, matching the subject. | Same construction as reflexive, but used for emphasis rather than action direction. |
| Impact on Sentence Meaning | Changes the sentence meaning to indicate the action is performed on the subject itself. | Does not change the fundamental meaning, but adds emphasis on the doer of the action. |
| Usage in Negative Sentences | Used to imply the subject does something to itself, even in negative structures. | Can emphasize the subject or object, even when the sentence is negative. |
| Position in Sentence | Acts as the object of the verb, placed after the verb or preposition. | Can be placed immediately after the noun it emphasizes or at the end of the sentence. |
Reflexive vs Emphatic Pronouns | What is the Difference?
Reflexive and emphatic pronouns use the same forms such as myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves but serve different purposes in a sentence.
Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same person or thing. Emphatic pronouns, also known as intensive pronouns, are used to emphasize the subject of the sentence.