Reflexive Pronouns

The nine English reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, himself, herself, oneself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves.

Referring twice to the same noun as subject and object (rather than using a reflexive pronoun for the object) sounds very creepy. "Jaya decided to cook Jaya a special supper,'' sounds very awkward. You should say, "Jaya decided to cook a special supper for herself.'' The most common mistake that several students make is the incorrect use of reflexive pronouns in compound subjects or compound objects in a sentence.

Eg. Ali and myself will conduct today's meeting. You should say, "Ali and I will conduct today's meeting.''
As stated above, they are used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same.

• She cut herself in the kitchen. But you should say, "She cut an apple in the kitchen.'' Here, the subject is she and the object is the apple.
• The tree fell by itself in last night's gale.
  The workers laying the road felled the tree is correct, because the subject is the workers and the object is the tree.

Exceptions: wash, dress, shave You can say, "He washed.'' "He dressed.'' "He shaved.''
You need not say He washed himself. He dressed himself. He shaved himself, unless he is doing these acts for others. Like a barber shaving the others. The mother washing and dressing the baby.

Reflexive Pronouns are also used to mean
alone:
He goes for a walk by himself.
Meditation is nothing but being with yourself.
without help:
The boy solved the problem all by himself.
I can do this by myself.
none but he/she (సాక్షాత్తూ)
(i) The President himself called the Jnanapeeth awardee and gave the good news.
(ii) I will do it myself. Don't worry!

Reflexive Pronouns have to be used with the following verbs:
enjoy, avail, apply, avenge (ప్రతీకారం చెందటం)
Please note the difference between
They enjoyed the party. (The food and drinks were to their liking)

• They enjoyed themselves at the party. (had fun)
• He applied for a job.
• He applied himself (dedicated) for the preparation having missed the job at the interview level.
• He availed (made use of) himself of 4 days' leave.
• Some Sikhs felt avenged themselves with the assassination of Smt Indira Gandhi.