Intensive pronouns, often confused with reflexive pronouns, play a crucial role in adding emphasis to a noun or pronoun already present in a sentence. Mastering their usage can significantly enhance the clarity and impact of your writing and speech.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to intensive pronouns, covering their definition, structure, types, usage rules, common mistakes, and advanced applications. Whether you are a student, a language enthusiast, or simply looking to refine your English skills, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and practice needed to use intensive pronouns effectively.
Understanding intensive pronouns not only improves grammatical accuracy but also allows for more nuanced and expressive communication. By learning to distinguish them from reflexive pronouns and recognizing their specific function within sentences, you can elevate your language proficiency and achieve greater precision in your writing and speaking.
This article aims to provide a clear and structured approach to mastering intensive pronouns, making it an invaluable resource for learners of all levels.
Table of Contents
- Definition of Intensive Pronouns
- Structural Breakdown
- Types of Intensive Pronouns
- Examples of Intensive Pronouns
- Usage Rules
- Common Mistakes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Definition of Intensive Pronouns
An intensive pronoun is a pronoun that emphasizes a noun or pronoun already named in the sentence. It is considered non-essential to the sentence’s core meaning, meaning that if you remove the intensive pronoun, the sentence will still make sense. This contrasts with reflexive pronouns, which are essential to the meaning of the sentence and act as the recipient of the action.
Intensive pronouns always refer back to a noun or pronoun that appears earlier in the sentence. They are used to add force or emphasis to that antecedent.
For example, in the sentence “I myself made the cake,” the pronoun “myself” intensifies the subject “I,” highlighting that the speaker personally made the cake. The sentence would still be grammatically correct and meaningful without “myself,” but it would lack the same level of emphasis.
The key characteristic of an intensive pronoun is its ability to be removed without affecting the grammatical correctness of the sentence. This distinguishes it from a reflexive pronoun, which is necessary for the sentence to be complete.
Understanding this difference is crucial for accurate usage. Intensive pronouns simply add emphasis, while reflexive pronouns fulfill a grammatical role within the sentence.
Structural Breakdown
Intensive pronouns are formed using the same words as reflexive pronouns, but their function within the sentence differs significantly. The structure usually involves placing the intensive pronoun directly after the noun or pronoun it is emphasizing, or sometimes at the end of the clause for added effect.
The placement of the intensive pronoun can subtly alter the emphasis of the sentence. Placing it immediately after the noun or pronoun it modifies creates a direct and immediate emphasis.
Placing it at the end of the clause can create a more dramatic or emphatic effect. However, regardless of its position, the intensive pronoun must always clearly refer back to a specific noun or pronoun in the sentence.
Here’s a breakdown of the structural elements:
- Antecedent: The noun or pronoun being emphasized.
- Intensive Pronoun: The pronoun that adds emphasis. This pronoun must match the antecedent in number and person.
- Sentence Structure: The intensive pronoun is placed either immediately after the antecedent or at the end of the clause.
Consider the sentence, “The president himself announced the decision.” Here, “president” is the antecedent, and “himself” is the intensive pronoun, adding emphasis to the fact that the president personally made the announcement. Removing “himself” would not change the basic meaning of the sentence, but it would reduce the emphasis.
Types of Intensive Pronouns
Intensive pronouns mirror reflexive pronouns in form, and their classification depends on the antecedent they refer to. The following is a breakdown of the different types:
Singular Intensive Pronouns
Singular intensive pronouns are used to emphasize singular nouns or pronouns. These include:
- Myself: Used to emphasize “I.”
- Yourself: Used to emphasize “you” (singular).
- Himself: Used to emphasize “he.”
- Herself: Used to emphasize “she.”
- Itself: Used to emphasize “it.”
Plural Intensive Pronouns
Plural intensive pronouns are used to emphasize plural nouns or pronouns. These include:
- Ourselves: Used to emphasize “we.”
- Yourselves: Used to emphasize “you” (plural).
- Themselves: Used to emphasize “they.”
It’s crucial to use the correct form of the intensive pronoun to match the number and person of the antecedent. Using the wrong form will result in grammatical errors and confusion.
For example, it would be incorrect to say, “I did it herself.” The correct form would be, “I myself did it,” because “myself” is the intensive pronoun that corresponds to the first-person singular pronoun “I.”
Examples of Intensive Pronouns
To illustrate the usage of intensive pronouns, let’s examine a variety of sentences showcasing their application in different contexts. These examples will help clarify the function and placement of intensive pronouns within sentences.
Examples with Singular Intensive Pronouns
The following table provides examples of sentences using singular intensive pronouns to emphasize singular nouns or pronouns. Each example highlights how the intensive pronoun adds emphasis to the antecedent without being essential to the sentence’s core meaning.
| Sentence | Intensive Pronoun | Antecedent |
|---|---|---|
| I myself baked the bread. | myself | I |
| You yourself are responsible for this mess. | yourself | You |
| He himself built the entire house. | himself | He |
| She herself wrote the novel. | herself | She |
| The dog itself opened the gate. | itself | The dog |
| I myself saw the incident. | myself | I |
| You yourself need to take responsibility. | yourself | You |
| He himself admitted to the mistake. | himself | He |
| She herself designed the dress. | herself | She |
| The computer itself restarted. | itself | The computer |
| I myself will handle the situation. | myself | I |
| You yourself should know better. | yourself | You |
| He himself confirmed the news. | himself | He |
| She herself organized the event. | herself | She |
| The door itself closed. | itself | The door |
| I myself heard the announcement. | myself | I |
| You yourself have to make the decision. | yourself | You |
| He himself witnessed the accident. | himself | He |
| She herself painted the portrait. | herself | She |
| The machine itself started working. | itself | The machine |
| I myself am taking the class. | myself | I |
| You yourself have to complete the assignment. | yourself | You |
| He himself fixed the car. | himself | He |
| She herself baked the cake. | herself | She |
| The car itself needs to be washed. | itself | The car |
| I myself am responsible. | myself | I |
| You yourself are invited to the party. | yourself | You |
| He himself is the president. | himself | He |
| She herself is the director. | herself | She |
| The book itself is interesting. | itself | The book |
Examples with Plural Intensive Pronouns
The following table provides examples of sentences using plural intensive pronouns to emphasize plural nouns or pronouns. These examples demonstrate how intensive pronouns enhance the emphasis on the antecedents.
| Sentence | Intensive Pronoun | Antecedent |
|---|---|---|
| We ourselves organized the event. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves are to blame for this situation. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves admitted their mistake. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves witnessed the accident. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves need to clean up this mess. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves built the entire structure. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves are responsible for this project. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves must complete the task. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves decided to leave early. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves saw the movie last night. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves should apologize for your behavior. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves prepared the entire meal. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves will take care of the arrangements. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves have to make the final call. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves are donating the funds. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves are going to the beach. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves are welcome to join us. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves are coming to the party. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves organized the charity event. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves are capable of solving the problem. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves are responsible for the mistake. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves are planning the trip. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves are invited to the ceremony. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves are hosting the conference. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves are writing the book. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves are in charge of the project. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves are performing the play. | themselves | They |
| We ourselves are building the house. | ourselves | We |
| You yourselves are volunteering at the shelter. | yourselves | You |
| They themselves are planting the trees. | themselves | They |
Emphasis in Different Sentence Positions
The placement of the intensive pronoun can alter the emphasis of the sentence. The following table illustrates how changing the position of the intensive pronoun can affect the emphasis on the subject.
| Sentence | Emphasis |
|---|---|
| I myself will do it. | Direct emphasis on “I.” |
| I will do it myself. | Slightly stronger, concluding emphasis on “I.” |
| The CEO herself made the announcement. | Direct emphasis on “CEO.” |
| The CEO made the announcement herself. | Concluding emphasis on “CEO,” highlighting personal involvement. |
| We ourselves finished the project. | Direct emphasis on “We.” |
| We finished the project ourselves. | Concluding emphasis on “We,” highlighting collective effort. |
| He himself repaired the car. | Direct emphasis on “He.” |
| He repaired the car himself. | Concluding emphasis on “He,” highlighting personal skill. |
| She herself wrote the letter. | Direct emphasis on “She.” |
| She wrote the letter herself. | Concluding emphasis on “She,” highlighting personal action. |
| They themselves organized the conference. | Direct emphasis on “They.” |
| They organized the conference themselves. | Concluding emphasis on “They,” highlighting collective organization. |
| You yourselves must decide the outcome. | Direct emphasis on “You.” |
| You must decide the outcome yourselves. | Concluding emphasis on “You,” highlighting personal decision-making. |
| I myself witnessed the event. | Direct emphasis on “I.” |
| I witnessed the event myself. | Concluding emphasis on “I,” highlighting personal observation. |
| We ourselves solved the problem. | Direct emphasis on “We.” |
| We solved the problem ourselves. | Concluding emphasis on “We,” highlighting collective effort. |
| He himself cooked the meal. | Direct emphasis on “He.” |
| He cooked the meal himself. | Concluding emphasis on “He,” highlighting personal culinary skill. |
| She herself cleaned the house. | Direct emphasis on “She.” |
| She cleaned the house herself. | Concluding emphasis on “She,” highlighting personal effort. |
| They themselves painted the mural. | Direct emphasis on “They.” |
| They painted the mural themselves. | Concluding emphasis on “They,” highlighting collective artistic skill. |
Usage Rules
Using intensive pronouns correctly involves adhering to specific grammatical rules. These rules ensure that the intensive pronoun agrees with its antecedent and is used appropriately to add emphasis.
Agreement with Antecedent
The intensive pronoun must agree in number and person with the noun or pronoun it emphasizes. This is a fundamental rule that ensures grammatical correctness.
- Singular Antecedent: Use singular intensive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself).
- Plural Antecedent: Use plural intensive pronouns (ourselves, yourselves, themselves).
Placement in the Sentence
Intensive pronouns are typically placed directly after the noun or pronoun they emphasize or at the end of the clause. The placement affects the emphasis but does not change the grammatical correctness of the sentence.
- Directly After: Provides immediate emphasis (e.g., “I myself made the cake”).
- End of Clause: Adds a concluding emphasis (e.g., “I made the cake myself”).
While both positions are correct, the choice depends on the desired effect. Placing the intensive pronoun at the end of the clause can sometimes create a more dramatic or emphatic feel.
Distinction from Reflexive Pronouns
It is crucial to distinguish intensive pronouns from reflexive pronouns. Reflexive pronouns are essential to the meaning of the sentence, while intensive pronouns are not.
If removing the pronoun changes the core meaning of the sentence, it is a reflexive pronoun, not an intensive pronoun.
Reflexive Pronoun Examples:
- I hurt myself. (Removing “myself” makes the sentence incomplete.)
- He blamed himself for the accident. (Removing “himself” changes the meaning.)
Intensive Pronoun Examples:
- I myself made the cake. (Removing “myself” does not change the core meaning.)
- He himself fixed the car. (Removing “himself” does not change the core meaning.)
Non-Essential Nature
Intensive pronouns are non-essential elements in a sentence. This means that the sentence should still be grammatically correct and convey the same basic meaning if the intensive pronoun is removed.
This characteristic distinguishes them from reflexive pronouns, which are essential to the sentence’s structure and meaning.
For example, in the sentence “The students themselves cleaned the classroom,” the phrase “themselves” is an intensive pronoun. If we remove “themselves,” the sentence becomes “The students cleaned the classroom,” which is still a grammatically correct and meaningful sentence.
This demonstrates the non-essential nature of intensive pronouns.
Common Mistakes
One of the most common mistakes is confusing intensive pronouns with reflexive pronouns. This confusion often leads to incorrect usage and grammatical errors.
Another frequent error is using the wrong form of the intensive pronoun, which can result in sentences that sound awkward or are grammatically incorrect.
Confusing Intensive and Reflexive Pronouns
Incorrect: I saw myself in the mirror. (Here, “myself” is a reflexive pronoun because it is essential to the meaning of the sentence. If you remove “myself,” the sentence doesn’t make sense: “I saw in the mirror.”)
Correct: I myself saw the movie. (Here, “myself” is an intensive pronoun because it emphasizes “I” and can be removed without changing the core meaning: “I saw the movie.”)
Incorrect Pronoun Form
Incorrect: He himself fixed the car.
Correct: He himself fixed the car.
Incorrect: They themselves did it.
Correct: They themselves did it.
Unnecessary Use of Intensive Pronouns
Using intensive pronouns when they are not needed can make the sentence sound awkward or unnatural. It’s important to use them only when you want to add specific emphasis.
Awkward: I myself always drink coffee in the morning.
Better: I always drink coffee in the morning.
Misplaced Emphasis
Placing the intensive pronoun in the wrong position can weaken the emphasis or make the sentence sound strange.
Weak: The book itself is good.
Better: The book itself is good.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding of intensive pronouns with the following exercises. Identify the intensive pronouns in each sentence and explain their function.
Then, complete the sentences by adding the correct intensive pronoun.
Exercise 1: Identifying Intensive Pronouns
Identify the intensive pronoun in each of the following sentences. If the sentence does not contain an intensive pronoun, write “None.”
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. I myself will deliver the package. | myself |
| 2. She completed the project herself. | herself |
| 3. They went to the store. | None |
| 4. We ourselves built the treehouse. | ourselves |
| 5. He fixed the car. | None |
| 6. You yourself are responsible for this. | yourself |
| 7. The cat itself opened the door. | itself |
| 8. I need to clean my room. | None |
| 9. They themselves organized the event. | themselves |
| 10. She made the cake. | None |
Exercise 2: Completing Sentences with Intensive Pronouns
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate intensive pronoun.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. I ______ will take care of the problem. | myself |
| 2. You ______ need to apologize. | yourself |
| 3. He ______ wrote the letter. | himself |
| 4. She ______ painted the picture. | herself |
| 5. The dog ______ ate the food. | itself |
| 6. We ______ decorated the house. | ourselves |
| 7. You ______ must finish the work. | yourselves |
| 8. They ______ saw the ghost. | themselves |
| 9. I ______ heard the news. | myself |
| 10. The computer ______ restarted. | itself |
Exercise 3: Correcting Sentences
Identify and correct the sentences with incorrect usage of intensive pronouns.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. I hurt myself. | Correct |
| 2. He himself is going to the store. | Correct |
| 3. They themselves bought the car. | Correct |
| 4. We saw us in the mirror. | Incorrect: We saw ourselves in the mirror. |
| 5. She did it theirself. | Incorrect: She did it herself. |
| 6. You yourself are invited. | Correct |
| 7. I myself made the coffee. | Correct |
| 8. He blamed him. | Incorrect: He blamed himself. |
| 9. They cleaned the house themself. | Incorrect: They cleaned the house themselves. |
| 10. We ourselves cooked dinner. | Correct |
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, understanding the nuances and subtle applications of intensive pronouns can further refine their language skills. This includes exploring the stylistic effects of intensive pronoun placement and recognizing their use in complex sentence structures.
Stylistic Effects of Placement
The placement of the intensive pronoun can subtly influence the tone and emphasis of a sentence. While both positions are grammatically correct, the choice can depend on the desired stylistic effect.
- Front Placement: “I myself believe it” emphasizes personal conviction.
- End Placement: “I believe it myself” emphasizes the speaker’s independent belief.
Intensive Pronouns in Complex Sentences
In complex sentences, intensive pronouns can add emphasis to specific clauses or phrases, highlighting particular aspects of the sentence’s meaning.
Example: “The scientist, knowing the risks himself, proceeded with the experiment.” Here, “himself” emphasizes the scientist’s personal awareness of the risks.
Formal vs. Informal Usage
While intensive pronouns are generally appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, overuse can make writing or speech sound overly emphatic or artificial. It’s important to use them judiciously to maintain a natural and balanced tone.
Overly Emphatic: “I myself personally guarantee it.”
Better: “I personally guarantee it.”
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about intensive pronouns:
- What is the difference between an intensive pronoun and a reflexive pronoun?
An intensive pronoun emphasizes a noun or pronoun and is not essential to the sentence’s meaning. A reflexive pronoun is necessary for the sentence’s meaning and refers back to the subject of the sentence.
- How do I know if a pronoun is intensive or reflexive?
If you can remove the pronoun without changing the core meaning of the sentence, it is an intensive pronoun. If removing the pronoun makes the sentence incomplete or changes its meaning, it is a reflexive pronoun.
- Can an intensive pronoun be used with any noun or pronoun?
Yes, an intensive pronoun can be used with any noun or pronoun, as long as it agrees in number and person with the antecedent.
- Is it necessary to use intensive pronouns in every sentence?
No, intensive pronouns are not necessary. They are used to add emphasis and should only be used when you want to highlight a particular noun or pronoun.
- What happens if I use the wrong form of the intensive pronoun?
Using the wrong form of the intensive pronoun will result in a grammatical error. The intensive pronoun must agree in number and person with the antecedent.
- Where should I place the intensive pronoun in a sentence?
You can place the intensive pronoun directly after the noun or pronoun it emphasizes or at the end of the clause, depending on the desired emphasis.
- Can I use an intensive pronoun with a proper noun?
Yes, you can use an intensive pronoun with a proper noun to emphasize that particular person or thing. For example, “John himself fixed the car.”
- Are intensive pronouns used in formal writing?
Yes, intensive pronouns are appropriate for both formal and informal writing, but they should be used judiciously to avoid sounding overly emphatic.
- Can intensive pronouns be used in questions?
Yes, intensive pronouns can be used in questions to add emphasis or express surprise. For example, “Did you yourself see what happened?”
- Is it possible to overuse intensive pronouns?
Yes, overuse of intensive pronouns can make your writing or speech sound unnatural or overly emphatic. Use them sparingly and only when necessary to add emphasis.
- What are some common alternatives to using intensive pronouns?
You can often achieve the same emphasis by rephrasing the sentence or using adverbs such as “personally,” “directly,” or “actually.” For example, instead of “I myself will do it,” you could say “I will do it personally.”
Conclusion
Intensive pronouns are powerful tools for adding emphasis and clarity to your writing and speech. By understanding their definition, structure, and usage rules, you can effectively incorporate them into your communication and enhance your overall language proficiency.
Remember to distinguish them from reflexive pronouns and use them judiciously to avoid sounding overly emphatic.
Mastering intensive pronouns requires practice and attention to detail. By working through the examples and exercises provided in this guide, you can develop a strong understanding of their function and application.
Continue to observe how intensive pronouns are used in various contexts, and practice incorporating them into your own writing and speech. With consistent effort, you can confidently and effectively use intensive pronouns to elevate your language skills.