Emphatic Pronoun

Understanding Emphatic Pronouns

Emphatic pronouns, often called intensive pronouns, are words like myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. Their primary function is to add emphasis to a noun or another pronoun.

Key Concepts

Unlike reflexive pronouns, which are essential to the meaning of the sentence, emphatic pronouns can be removed without changing the sentence’s core meaning. They are used for stress.

• Structure: Pronoun + self/selves
• Purpose: To add emphasis
• Placement: Often follows the emphasized word

Deep Dive: Usage and Examples

Emphatic pronouns directly follow the noun or pronoun they are emphasizing, or they may appear at the end of the clause.

Example 1: I myself will bake the cake. (Emphasis on ‘I’)

Example 2: The president himself addressed the nation. (Emphasis on ‘president’)

Example 3: They completed the project themselves. (Emphasis on ‘They’)

Applications in Writing

Using emphatic pronouns effectively can make your writing more dynamic and persuasive. They highlight the subject’s direct involvement or responsibility.

Challenges and Misconceptions

A common mistake is confusing emphatic pronouns with reflexive pronouns. Remember, if you can remove the pronoun and the sentence still makes sense, it’s likely emphatic.

Do not use an emphatic pronoun when a simple personal pronoun would suffice. For instance, ‘Me myself will go’ is incorrect; it should be ‘I will go’.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between an emphatic and a reflexive pronoun? Emphatic pronouns add emphasis and can be removed. Reflexive pronouns are essential to the sentence’s meaning, indicating the subject is acting upon itself.
2. Can an emphatic pronoun be used at the beginning of a sentence? While possible for emphasis, it’s less common and can sometimes sound awkward. Standard sentence structure is usually preferred.
3. Is ‘theirselves’ a word? No, ‘theirselves’ is not a recognized word in standard English. The correct form is ‘themselves’.