Reflexive vs reciprocal pronouns — forms, uses & pitfalls
B2 Pre-Advanced
Forms
| Reflexive | Examples | Reciprocal | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves (+ formal generic oneself) | I cut myself. / They blamed themselves. | each other, one another (possessive: each other’s / one another’s) | The twins recognised each other. / We respect one another’s ideas. |
Historically, one another was “more than two”, but in modern English both are interchangeable for most contexts.
Reflexive core use
- Subject = object: the agent and the receiver are the same.
She taught herself Italian. - After most prepositions referring back to the subject.
He was proud of himself. - Emphatic “myself” etc. to stress who did the action; position either after the subject or end of clause.
I’ll handle it myself. / Maria herself designed the logo.
Do not use a reflexive merely as a fancy object pronoun: ✖ Please contact myself → ✔ Please contact me.
Reflexive — when not to use
- Prepositions of place take object pronouns: ✔ She left her bag in front of her (not herself).
- with = “in company of”: ✔ He took his son with him (not himself).
- Everyday actions are not reflexive in English: wash, shave, dress, relax, hurry, open…
✔ I washed and got dressed (not dressed myself).
by oneself / on one’s own
- Alone: He doesn’t like being by himself.
- Without help: She raised four children on her own.
Reciprocal use
Use each other / one another when two (or more) people act on one another: A → B and B → A.
- After years apart, the brothers finally found each other.
- Possessive: They held each other’s hands.
- With prepositions: They wrote to each other every week.
Reflexive vs reciprocal — quick contrast
| Meaning | Correct | Incorrect |
|---|---|---|
| Same person acts on themself | She blamed herself for the mistake. | ✖ She blamed each other. |
| Two people act on one another | They hugged each other. | ✖ They hugged themselves. |
Common pitfalls & fixes
- “Each others” ✖ → use each other or possessive each other’s.
- Double marking ✖: avoid They helped each other themselves. Choose one.
- Agreement: reflexives match the subject person/number: We told ourselves (not ourself).
- Oneself is formal; in everyday English prefer yourself/your own depending on meaning.
Think: SELF = same person; EACH OTHER = two-way action.
Exercises:
Reflexive vs Reciprocal pronouns
1
We looked at
and laughed.
2
She taught
to code using free courses.
3
The athletes congratulated
in the locker room.
4
Please help
to sandwiches at the back.
5
He blamed
for the mistake instead of the trainee.
6
The sensors adjust
automatically when the temperature changes.
7
I prefer to travel by
the first time I visit a city.
8
We pride
on meeting tough deadlines.
9
They compared
notes before the exam.
10
The neighbors waved to
across the street.
Reflexive vs Reciprocal pronouns
1
They looked at ____ and burst out laughing.
A.
B.
C.
2
Be careful with the knife — you might cut ____.
A.
B.
C.
3
We taught ____ to code using open courses and documentation.
A.
B.
C.
4
The twins kept taking ____ toys without asking.
A.
B.
C.
5
This cat can open the door by ____ when the handle is low enough.
A.
B.
C.
6
Standing in front of the mirror, they could see ____ clearly.
A.
B.
C.
7
If you don’t believe me, check the figures for ____.
A.
B.
C.
8
After the argument, they refused to speak to ____ for a week.
A.
B.
C.
9
She prides ____ on being punctual and prepared.
A.
B.
C.
10
The interns introduced ____ to the new colleague from Finance.
A.
B.
C.
Reflexive vs Reciprocal pronouns
1
I cut while chopping onions.
2
Did you enjoy at the concert?
3
The cat licked clean after the bath.
4
She taught to code last year.
5
Let us introduce before we begin.
6
Please help to water and snacks while you wait.
7
The two departments were accountable for the outcome.
8
The players blamed for the defeat, not the referee.
9
He prides on clear communication.
10
One must trust when making difficult choices.