Read the sentences given below:

• The poor widow killed herself.
• We enjoyed ourselves.
• He hurt himself.
• They praised themselves.

When -self is added to my, your, him, her and it, and -selves to our, your and them, we get compound personal pronouns.

When a compound personal pronoun is used as the object of a verb, it is called a reflexive pronoun because it helps to reflect the action of the verb back upon the subject itself.

A reflexive pronoun is sometimes used after a preposition.

• I did it all by myself.
• She was beside herself with rage.

Related posts:

1. What are Pronouns?