Emphatic Pronouns in English Grammar: Definition, Examples & Common Mistakes

Learn everything about emphatic pronouns in English. Recognize their definition, application, examples, typical errors, and the distinction between reflexive and emphatic pronouns. Words like himself, you, and me are examples of emphatic pronouns. These pronouns emphasize who performed the action. To show emphasis, they are placed immediately after the noun or pronoun they relate to. Emphatic pronouns strengthen the meaning of a sentence without changing it. In this article, you will learn what emphatic pronouns are, how to use them correctly, and where they fit naturally in sentences.

Table of Contents

What Is an Emphatic Pronoun? – Definition

An emphatic pronoun is a pronoun such as myself, herself, yourself, etc., that appears directly after the noun it emphasizes to add extra importance. Often, it also implies that the action was done independently, without assistance.

According to the Oxford Guide to English Grammar, an emphatic pronoun is “a pronoun such as myself or themselves, emphasizing a noun phrase, e.g., The Queen herself visited the scene.”

Emphatic pronouns are created by adding “-self” for singular and “-selves” for plural to personal pronouns. Here’s a breakdown:

Singular	Plural
Myself	Ourselves
Yourself	Yourselves
Himself	Themselves
Herself
Itself

Why Emphatic Pronouns Are Important

1. To Emphasize

Using an emphatic pronoun is more elegant than bolding, capital letters, or underlining a word.

In spoken English, we can emphasize with our voice, but in writing, an emphatic pronoun adds clarity and focus in a way that formatting cannot.

For example:

She will attend the reception drinks herself.

Notice how removing herself does not make the sentence incorrect, but it loses the emphasis.

2. To Avoid Misusing Pronouns

Emphatic pronouns such as myself, yourself, herself, himself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves are not fancy versions of personal pronouns like me, you, her, him, it, or us.

Incorrect:

If you have questions, contact myself or your line manager.

Correct:

If you have questions, contact me or your line manager.

Remember: emphatic pronouns emphasize a nearby noun or pronoun (its antecedent). Without an antecedent, using myself or himself is incorrect.

How to Use an Emphatic Pronoun

Usually, an emphatic pronoun immediately follows the noun or pronoun it emphasizes.

Example: You will have to speak to the bank manager himself if you want it done quickly.

Sometimes, it may appear a little farther from the noun, but the emphasis remains clear.

Think of it as a written way of highlighting like capital letters in casual writing:

Can you believe she did it herself?
Removing the emphatic pronoun doesn’t change the basic meaning, but the sentence loses impact.

Tip: Never replace personal pronouns with emphatic pronouns. They are not substitutes for me, him, her, us, etc.

Emphatic Pronouns vs. Reflexive Pronouns

Although emphatic pronouns look identical to reflexive pronouns, their use is different:

Type	Function
Reflexive Pronouns	Show that subject and object are the same person
Emphatic Pronouns	Add emphasis to the subject; can be removed without changing meaning

Examples:

Reflexive: She hurt herself while playing. (shows action on self)
Emphatic: She herself cooked the entire meal. (adds focus—she did it, not someone else)

Examples of Emphatic Pronouns

She herself solved the complicated math problem.
We ourselves completed the project before the deadline.
He himself admitted the mistake in the report.
The students themselves organized the entire event.
The machine itself stopped working after a power surge.
You yourselves should take responsibility for the outcome.
The manager himself signed off on the document.

In each example, the pronoun adds emphasis, making the sentence stronger and more expressive.

Common Mistakes

1. Incorrect Placement

Incorrect: Myself, I will do it.
Correct: I myself will do it.

2. Overuse

Incorrect: The chef himself, the waiter himself, and the manager himself all handled the situation.
Correct: The chef, the waiter, and the manager all handled the situation themselves.

3. Confusing with Reflexive Pronouns

Incorrect: He gave the gift to myself.
Correct: He gave the gift to me.

Practice: Identify Emphatic or Reflexive Pronouns

The children themselves came up to me and volunteered to help.
Tom himself was out of his mind.
Gowtham cooked for himself and his wife.
I myself was not ready to start a business at that time.
Eddie stayed home all by himself.
No one knew Diana herself was a cyber analyst.
Nina did not do anything useful for herself or anyone else.
Bob himself agreed to clean up the mess.
Everyone was aware that Jake himself had to be blamed.
Each one of you should take care of yourselves.

Answers:

Emphatic, 2. Emphatic, 3. Reflexive, 4. Emphatic, 5. Reflexive, 6. Emphatic, 7. Reflexive, 8. Emphatic, 9. Emphatic, 10. Reflexive

FAQs

Q1: What is an emphatic pronoun?
A: A pronoun such as myself, herself, yourself that is used immediately after a noun or pronoun to show emphasis.

Q2: How is it different from a reflexive pronoun?
A: A reflexive pronoun reflects the action back on the subject. An emphatic pronoun adds extra emphasis without changing the meaning.

Q3: Can you give more examples?

The country itself has not seen such a rise in temperatures.
Did she cook all this herself?
Manu himself did not enjoy his birthday party.
The Chief Minister himself visited the flood-affected areas.
Emphatic Pronouns in English Grammar