B. Foundations of Language · Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

Intensive and Reflexive Pronouns

B3.2About 40 minutes

Learning goals

I can name the pronouns that end in -self and -selves.
I can tell the difference between a reflexive pronoun and an intensive pronoun.
I can use the remove test to check whether a -self pronoun is needed.
I can avoid common mistakes like hisself and Jo and myself went.

Words to know

reflexive pronoun
A -self or -selves pronoun that refers back to the subject and is needed in the sentence: I hurt myself.

intensive pronoun
A -self or -selves pronoun that adds emphasis and could be removed: I myself saw it.

emphasis
Extra attention or importance.

antecedent
The noun that a pronoun refers to.

Remember from Grade 4

You know that a pronoun takes the place of a noun: Liam → he, the bikes → they. In Grade 4 you learned relative pronouns (who, which, that) and how some pronoun words can act like adjectives (my, this).

In Grade 5 you'll learn about pronouns that end in -self (one) or -selves (more than one). They look the same, but they do two different jobs.

Singular (one)	Plural (more than one)
myself	ourselves
yourself	yourselves
himself, herself, itself	themselves

The -self and -selves pronouns

Job 1: Reflexive pronouns

A reflexive pronoun reflects back to the subject, like a mirror. The subject does something to itself.

I hurt myself on the ice.
The cat washed itself.
The players taught themselves a new drill.

If you take a reflexive pronoun out, the sentence breaks: I hurt on the ice. (Hurt what?) The cat washed. (Washed what?) The reflexive pronoun is needed.

Job 2: Intensive pronouns

An intensive pronoun adds emphasis (extra importance). It points at a noun as if to say that one, and no one else!

The mayor herself came to our school.
I myself saw the bear.
We built the canoe ourselves.

If you take an intensive pronoun out, the sentence still works: The mayor came to our school. It's just less exciting.

A reflexive pronoun reflects back to the subject, like a mirror: the cat washed itself, so the subject and the object are the same.

The remove test

Cover the -self word with your finger and read the sentence.

Still makes sense? → intensive (adds emphasis).
Doesn't make sense? → reflexive (needed).

The cover test. If the sentence breaks without the -self word, it's reflexive; if it still works, it's intensive.

Worked example

Let's sort two sentences

Is himself reflexive or intensive in each? (A) Kai made himself a sandwich. (B) Kai himself made the sandwich.

(A) Remove it: Kai made a sandwich. Hmm, it still makes sense, but the meaning changed: we no longer know who the sandwich was for. himself tells us Kai made it for Kai, the subject. It refers back to the subject and does a real job, so it's reflexive.
(B) Remove it: Kai made the sandwich. Same meaning, just less emphasis. himself stresses that it was Kai and nobody else. It's intensive.

(A) reflexive: it receives the action and refers back to Kai. (B) intensive: it only adds emphasis.

Common mistakes

Words that aren't standard: write himself, not hisself; themselves, not theirselves or themself (for a group); ourselves, not ourself.
**Using myself instead of I or me.** A -self pronoun needs someone earlier in the sentence to point back to.
Not: Jo and myself went skating. → Jo and I went skating.
Not: Please call Mr. Tran or myself. → Please call Mr. Tran or me.
Correct: I made it myself. (I is already in the sentence, so myself has something to point to.)

Just for fun

I wrote this joke myself. I also laughed at it myself. I am a very supportive audience.

Hands-on activity

Mirror sentences

You need: a mirror (a bathroom mirror or a hand mirror) and paper and a pencil.

Stand in front of the mirror. Do an action to yourself: wave at yourself, smile at yourself, point at yourself.
Say a reflexive sentence: I see myself in the mirror. The pronoun reflects back to I, just like the mirror reflects you!
Now say an intensive sentence that adds emphasis: I myself cleaned this mirror!
Write 3 reflexive and 3 intensive sentences about your family. Then try the remove test on each with a grown-up.

Your turn

Fill in: We cheered for ______ when we finished the puzzle.

Fill in: The robot can charge ______.

Reflexive or intensive? She taught herself to knit.

Reflexive or intensive? The chef himself served our food.

Fix: He bought hisself a new hockey stick.

Fix: My sister and myself cleaned the garage.

Fill in with the right pronoun: Did you two make the cake ______?

More practice: warm-up

What is the plural of myself?

Which is a real word: themselves or theirselves?

Fill in: I wrote this poem ______.

Fill in: The cat licked ______.

Fill in: Be careful, or you'll cut ______. (talking to one person)

More practice: on your own

Reflexive or intensive? The students organized the food drive themselves. Explain.

Reflexive or intensive? Ahmed reminded himself to bring his mitts. Explain.

Fix: Please send the photos to my dad or myself.

Fix: The team gave theirselves a cheer.

Write an intensive-pronoun sentence about a famous Canadian place you'd like to visit.

Challenge

Write two sentences with herself: one reflexive and one intensive. Prove each with the remove test.

Find and fix three mistakes: Me and Tom built the fort ourself, and Dad gave Tom and myself a high-five.

Explain why I did it myself is correct, but Myself did it is not.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which pronoun is reflexive in this sentence? The puppy saw itself in the puddle.

In which sentence is myself intensive?

Which is a real word?

Which sentence is correct?

Fill in: The children dressed ______ for the snow.

What does the remove test tell you if the sentence still makes sense without the -self word?

For parents and teachers

Big idea (B3.2): The Grade 5 curriculum names intensive and reflexive pronouns among the parts of speech students should understand and use. Reflexive pronouns are needed (She taught herself); intensive ones add emphasis (She herself taught the class).

How to help at home:

Use the remove test together when you hear these words.
Model correct forms. Hisself and theirselves are common in casual speech; gently offer the standard form for writing.
Notice myself used to sound polite (Contact John or myself). It's a common adult error, so your child may hear it often.

Common difficulties:

Thinking every -self word is reflexive. Use the remove test.
Plural forms (themself, ourself). Plural subjects take -selves.
Sentences like Kai made himself a sandwich, where removing the pronoun still sounds grammatical but changes the meaning. Ask whether it refers back to the subject and receives the action; if so, it's reflexive.