English Grammar: Pronouns
Pronouns — Compound Personal Pronouns
Sometimes the word self or selves is added to certain forms of the personal pronouns. Pronouns formed in this way are called compound personal pronouns.
List of Compound Personal Pronouns
Compound personal pronouns are used in two ways: (1) as reflexive pronouns and (2) as intensive pronouns.
A compound personal pronoun is used reflexively when the pronoun is the object of the verb. It tells who or what received the action expressed by the verb. In this case the pronoun always refers back to the same person or thing as the subject. The following illustration will help to make this clear.
The chef burned himself yesterday.
In this sentence the word himself is a compound personal pronoun used as the object of the verb burned. Himself refers to the same person as the subject, which is the word chef. In other words, chef and himself are the same person. This is called the reflexive use of the compound personal pronoun. It means that the pronoun refers or reflects back to the subject.
Sometimes the compound personal pronoun is used to give added emphasis to a noun or pronoun in the sentence. This is called the emphatic or intensive use of the compound personal pronoun.
When a compound personal pronoun is used in this way, it must give emphasis to some noun or pronoun that is already in the sentence. Observe the following sentences carefully. In each sentence you will find that there is a noun or a pronoun to which the compound personal pronoun refers.
I made the dress myself. (Myself intensifies the pronoun I.)
John himself built the canoe. (Himself intensifies the noun John.)
Incorrect Use of Compound Personal Pronouns
One of the mistakes commonly made in English is to use the compound personal pronoun when there is no word in the sentence to which it refers. These pronouns should never be used as a substitute for a personal pronoun. They should never be used as the subject of the sentence.
My wife and myself appreciate your courtesy. (incorrect)
My wife and I appreciate your courtesy. (correct)
The manager and myself checked the accounts. (incorrect)
The manager and I checked the accounts. (correct)
He sent the book to John and myself. (incorrect)
He sent the book to John and me. (correct)
The first sentence is incorrect because there is no noun or pronoun in the sentence which the pronoun myself refers to or gives emphasis to. The second sentence is correct because a personal pronoun is used.
Whenever you use a compound personal pronoun in a sentence, always remember that such a pronoun must have an antecedent, or a word in the sentence which refers to the same person or thing as the pronoun does. In other words, it must have its own antecedent in the sentence. Do not make mistakes like the following:
Alice and yourself were appointed on the committee. (incorrect)
Alice and you were appointed on the committee. (correct)
The owner gave Tom and myself his old lawn mower. (incorrect)
The owner gave Tom and me his old lawn mower. (correct)
Everyone in the club has a car as well as myself. (incorrect)
Everyone in the club has a car as well as I. (correct)
They sent an invitation to the Smiths and ourselves. (incorrect)
They sent an invitation to the Smiths and us. (correct)
Pronoun Quiz: Personal or Compound
