Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Procedures
Teacher Preparation
Handout Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns (2 pages)
Most native speakers pick up correct use of the reflexive from reading and listening
!his lesson "ill make them more a"are of "hat the# alread# kno" on some level $or
%&& students this lesson "ill provide additional information a'out the language the#
are learning
!he metaphor of reflecting is designed as a mnemonic device to help students
remem'er that a reflexive pronoun can(t stand on its o"n) avoiding sentences like M#
'oss decided to give the promotion to m#self
Objective for the lesson
*tudents "ill identif# and correct nonstandard use of reflexive and intensive pronouns !he#
"ill also use reflexive and intensive pronouns correctl# in their o"n "riting
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Lesson Plan Overview
Target Audience
!his lesson is designed for high school students of all a'ilit# levels
Total Duration
!his lesson should last a'out an hour !eachers ma# consider making it a 21part lesson)
"ith Practice 2 scheduled as a revie" on a different da#
Suar! of lesson
*tudents are introduced to2revie" the use and purpose of reflexive pronouns !he# have
practice using them once "ith .- pre1generated sentences and once "ith sentences of
their o"n creation !he lesson especiall# targets nonstandard use of myself
Lesson
Beginning (large group activity)
3ring a mirror to class Hold it up to a student and ask) /hat do #ou see4 Most students "ill
respond "ith) I see m#self If the# don(t) prompt them5 6o #ou see #ourself4 and elicit a
response that uses a reflexive pronoun) 7es) I see m#self
0sk other students 8uestions that involve the mirror and that "ill elicit a response that uses a
reflexive pronoun5
If I put this mirror in front of Ian) do #ou think he "ill see himself4
/ould #ou agree that a mirror itself is fragile) even though its frame might 'e
strong4
/h# do #ou think people like to look at themselves in a mirror4
/hen "e look in a mirror) do "e tend to 'e critical or positive a'out
ourselves4
6o this a fe" times until curiosit# is pi8ued
6irect the students( attention to the "ords the# have 'een using5 myself) himself) etc 0sk if
an#one kno"s "hat part of speech the# are /rite the term reflexive pronoun on the 'oard
9nderneath the "ord reflexive) "rite the "ord reflects as a mnemonic and state) 0 reflexive
pronoun reflects 'ack on its antecedent noun or pronoun
0sk students to define the "ord intense /hat "ould the# expect an intensifier to do4 /rite
intensive pronoun on the 'oard and tell students that intensive pronouns add emphasis
Middle (Small group/independent work)
6istri'ute the 21page handout) Reflexive Pronouns If this is a revie" lesson) consider
permitting students to read and "ork through Practice . either individuall# or "ith a partner
If this is a ne" material) #ou might "ish to read the explanator# material together and "ork
through the first 2 or : sentences in Practice . together 'efore allo"ing students to complete
the practice "ith a partner 0s students "ork) "alk around the room to address 8uestions as
the# come up
If possi'le) make the ans"er ke# availa'le for students to check their o"n ans"ers to Practice
. "hen the# are read# (+onsider taping it to the 'oard at the front of the room) covered "ith
another sheet of paper) 0s students check their ans"ers) have them record anon#mousl#
"hich sentences "ere incorrect using the Practice ;ne Results +hart (M# ans"ers "ere all
correct except for <) !his chart could also 'e taped to the 'oard) next to the ans"er ke# !his
chart "ill record informal assessment data for use in reteaching later
/hen students have recorded their results from Practice .) the# can move to Practice 2 at their
o"n pace 0s the# "ork on Practice 2) "alk around the room to ans"er 8uestions and to coach
If possi'le) invite each student to "rite their 'est sentence on the 'oard (6epending on time)
Practice 2 ma# serve as home"ork)
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End (Large group)
Return to the results students reported via the Practice ;ne Results +hart and revie" an#
sentences students found especiall# challenging
Suggested Assessent
0sk students to "rite sentences or a paragraph correctl# using these reflexive pronouns5
myself yourself himself ourselves and themselves!
"xtension Activit!
Invite students to 'ring to class examples of reflexive pronouns used correctl# in print or
digital media or hear on radio or != +reate a 'ulletin 'oard of these examples
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Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
0 reflexive pronoun is eas# to spot5 it ends in either "self or "selves *tandard %nglish recogni>es
? reflexive pronouns5 myself yourself himself herself itself ourselves yourselves) themselves and
the ver# formal oneself (!he "ords hisself and theirselves are like the "ord ain#t5 the# are
considered nonstandard usage and should 'e avoided in formal "riting)
Reflexive pronouns rename a noun or pronoun that occurs earlier in the sentence !he noun
or pronoun that is 'eing renamed is called the antecedent Here are some examples5
@a#la fell during the soccer game) 'ut she picked herself up and kept going ($erself
refers to she)
I accidentall# 'urned m#self "hile "orking at Pi>>a !o Ao (Myself refers to %!)
!he automatic vacuum cleans the carpet and then puts itself a"a# (%tself refers to
vacuum)
Intensive pronouns emphasi>e or intensif# their antecedents Here are some examples5
Ba#den changed the oil himself ($imself emphasi>es &ayden)
!he programmers themselves pla#ed the game 'efore the# released it for 'eta
testing ('hemselves emphasi>es programmers)
Baxon is a Ce" ;rleans *aints fanD I m#self prefer the Indianapolis +olts
(Myself emphasi>es %)
9nlike a personal pronoun) a reflexive pronoun cannot stand on its o"n in a sentence It must
have a noun or pronoun for "hich it serves as either an antecedent or an intensifier
Constandard5 !he principal presented the a"ard to another gu# and m#self
*tandard5 !he principal presented the a"ard to another gu# and me
Constandard5 +hloe couldn(t find the necklace she "anted at the mall) so herself made one
*tandard5 +hloe couldn(t find the necklace she "anted at the mall) so she made one herself
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Reflexive Pronoun Practice
6irections5 Indicate "hether the pronoun is correct in each sentence 'elo" If the sentence is
incorrect) re"rite it at the 'ottom of the page so that it "ill 'e correct

. *ometimes it is hard for 6#lan to tear himself a"a# from a video
game) especiall# "hen he is close to the next level
2 I m#self enEo# Auitar Hero) 'ut m# 'rother prefers /orld of /arcraft
: M#self and a friend thought the President looked impressive as he
took the ;ath of ;ffice
F !he girls kept the surprise part# a secret among themselves
G 0n elderl# "oman defended herself from a purse snatcher on the
side"alk
H /hen I "as ten) m# aunt gave a cop# of *uper Mario to m# little
'rother and m#self
I It(s eas# for us to imagine ourselves in a greener "orld /hat "ould it
take to make it happen in real life4
J 6amiKn said ver# little himself) 'ut his little sister never stopped
talking
? !he videographer for the soccer game "as m#self
.- 0 video game ma# 'e seen as a metaphor for life itself 0ren(t "e all
pla#ing games) in a sense) "ith one another4
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Practice # Results
$! answers were all correct except for %
Put a check in the 'ox next to the num'er of an# sentence that "as incorrect on #our paper If
#ou think #our ans"er might have 'een correct) Eust different from the ke#) check "ith #our
teacher If all of #our ans"ers "ere correct) do not put an#thing on this chart
. H
2 I
: J
F ?
G .-
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"ithout permission is prohi'ited
Reflexive Pronoun Practice& Answer 'e!
6irections5 Indicate "hether the pronoun is correct in each sentence 'elo" If the sentence is
incorrect) re"rite it at the 'ottom of the page so that it "ill 'e correct

+orrect . *ometimes it is hard for 6#lan to tear himself a"a# from a video game)
especiall# "hen he is close to the next level
+orrect 2 I m#self enEo# Auitar Hero) 'ut m# 'rother prefers /orld of /arcraft
Incorrect : M#self and a friend thought the President looked impressive as he took the
;ath of ;ffice
0 friend and I thought the President looked impressive as he took the ;ath of
;ffice
+orrect F !he girls kept the surprise part# a secret among themselves
+orrect G 0n elderl# "oman defended herself from a purse snatcher on the side"alk
Incorrect H /hen I "as ten) m# aunt gave a cop# of *uper Mario to m# little 'rother and
m#self
/hen I "as ten) m# aunt gave a cop# of *uper Mario to m# little 'rother and
me
+orrect I It(s eas# for us to imagine ourselves in a greener "orld /hat "ould it take to
make it happen in real life4
+orrect J 6amiKn said ver# little himself) 'ut his little sister never stopped talking
Incorrect ? !he videographer for the soccer game "as m#self
I "as the videographer for the soccer game (3est)
!he videographer for the soccer game "as me (Informal)
+orrect .-

0 video game ma# 'e seen as a metaphor for life itself 0ren(t "e all pla#ing
games) in a sense) "ith one another4
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"ithout permission is prohi'ited
Reflexive Pronoun Practice (
6irections5 *tandard %nglish recogni>es J reflexive pronouns5 myself yourself himself herself
itself ourselves yourselves) and themselves /rite G sentences of #our o"n) each one using a
different reflexive pronoun correctl#
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"ithout permission is prohi'ited
Reflexive Pronoun Practice ( Answer 'e!
6irections5 *tandard %nglish recogni>es J reflexive pronouns5 myself yourself himself herself
itself ourselves yourselves) and themselves /rite G sentences) each one using a different reflexive
pronoun correctl#
0ns"ers "ill var#
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"ithout permission is prohi'ited