Guide to Reflexive Pronouns – TOEIC® Preparation

In the English language, reflexive pronouns are used to show that an action returns to the person performing it. When forming sentences like "I prepare myself" or "he looks at himself", the grammatical subject is simultaneously the doer and the receiver of the action.

These pronouns also serve to emphasize autonomy when someone performs a task without external assistance, as in "she built it herself". The use of these grammatical structures is extremely common in daily exchanges in English.

1. In which situations should reflexive pronouns be used?

A. When the action performed directly concerns the subject

The most typical situation requiring a reflexive pronoun arises when the action performed by the subject concerns them directly.

• She cut herself while cooking dinner.(Elle s'est coupée en préparant le dîner.)
• He always finds himself in difficult situations.(Il se retrouve toujours dans des situations difficiles.)
• We enjoyed ourselves at the party last night.(Nous nous sommes bien amusés à la soirée hier soir.)

B. To emphasize the autonomous completion of an action

Reflexive pronouns can also be used to highlight the fact that a task is completed in a personal manner or without external help. We usually place the reflexive pronoun immediately after the subject of the sentence.

• She prepared the entire presentation herself!(Elle a préparé toute la présentation elle-même !)
• You yourself admitted it was a mistake.(Toi-même, tu as admis que c'était une erreur.)
• The CEO himself attended the meeting.(Le PDG en personne a assisté à la réunion.)

C. After prepositions referring to the subject

When a preposition refers directly to the same grammatical subject, the use of a reflexive pronoun is required.

• She's very confident in herself.(Elle a beaucoup confiance en elle-même.)
• I need to focus on myself for a while.(J'ai besoin de me concentrer sur moi-même pendant un moment.)
• He was muttering to himself.(Il marmonnait tout seul.)

Note: when the preposition refers to another person or another element, a reflexive pronoun is not used.

• She's talking to me (not “myself”).

D. Verbs that do not take a reflexive form

In English, many verbs (called non-reflexive verbs) are generally used without a reflexive pronoun. Direct constructions are preferred, without adding a pronoun:

• get up (se lever)
  • ✅ I get up at 6:30 a.m.❌ I get myself up
• apologize (s'excuser)
  • ✅ I apologize for the delay.❌ I excuse myself for the delay
• sit down (s'asseoir), relax (se détendre), wake up (se réveiller), wash (se laver), lie down (s'allonger), remember (se souvenir), go to bed (aller se coucher), concentrate (se concentrer), complain (se plaindre), get dressed (s'habiller).

2. The construction “by + reflexive pronoun”

The structure by + reflexive pronoun expresses the idea of "alone" or "without assistance".

• She completed the project by herself.(Elle a terminé le projet toute seule.)
• They organized the entire event by themselves.(Ils ont organisé tout l'événement eux-mêmes, sans aide.)
• I prefer working by myself.(Je préfère travailler seul.)

3. Distinction between “each other” and reflexive pronouns

It is crucial not to confuse reflexive pronouns with the phrase each other (l'un l'autre / mutuellement).

• each other is used when two distinct people or groups perform a reciprocal action.
  • They respect each other.(Ils se respectent mutuellement.)
  • We support each other.(Nous nous soutenons l'un l'autre.)
• Reflexive pronouns apply when the action directly concerns the same person or the same group.
  • They congratulated themselves on the success.(Ils se sont félicités eux-mêmes pour le succès.)

Conclusion

Reflexive pronouns are a fundamental grammatical element in English to indicate that an action directly affects its doer or to insist on autonomy in completing a task. Their use covers multiple contexts, whether it is mentioning accidents, actions carried out independently, or even emotional states such as pride or a sense of responsibility.

Mastering these grammatical structures will allow you to gain valuable points in the Reading and Listening sections of the TOEIC®, where grammatical precision often makes the difference.

Other courses on pronouns

• 🔗 Overview of Pronouns for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to Interrogative Pronouns for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to Indefinite Pronouns for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to Reciprocal Pronouns for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to Personal Pronouns for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Guide to Relative Pronouns for the TOEIC®

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