What are intensive pronouns and how are they used in a sentence?

Intensive pronouns emphasize the subject and include words like "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," "ourselves," "yourselves," and "themselves." They usually follow the noun or pronoun they are emphasizing for added intensity, such as in, "She herself completed the project."

What's the difference between reflexive and intensive pronouns?

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same, like in "She taught herself." Intensive pronouns also take forms like himself, herself, etc., but they emphasize a noun, as in "The CEO himself gave the presentation." They aren’t necessary for sentence meaning.

Can intensive pronouns be removed from a sentence without changing the meaning?

Yes, intensive pronouns emphasize the noun or pronoun they are paired with but do not alter the fundamental meaning of a sentence, so they can be removed without changing the sentence's meaning.

Which statement about intensive pronouns is correct?

Their removal alters the core meaning since they are essential for sentence structure.

What is the primary function of intensive pronouns in a sentence?

They create a comparison between two subjects.

Which of the following is an example of an intensive pronoun usage?

'The dish that the chef made tasted delicious.'

What is the primary purpose of intensive pronouns in sentences?

They emphasize a noun or pronoun.

How do intensive pronouns differ from reflexive pronouns?

Intensive pronouns follow a comma.

What is the primary function of an intensive pronoun?

To add emphasis to a noun or another pronoun without altering the sentence's meaning.

Intensive Pronouns: Examples & Definitions

Q: How can I identify an intensive pronoun in a sentence?

An intensive pronoun emphasizes its antecedent and usually follows the noun or pronoun it refers to. Common examples include: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. If removing it doesn't change the sentence's core meaning, it is intensive.

Q: What are some common examples of intensive pronouns?

Common examples of intensive pronouns include "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," "ourselves," "yourselves," and "themselves."

Intensive Pronouns

Intensive pronouns emphasize a preceding noun and include words like "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," "ourselves," "yourselves," and "themselves." They are not essential to the sentence's meaning; for example, "I did the work myself" highlights that you alone completed the task. To remember, think of intensive pronouns as a spotlight shining on the subject, intensifying its presence in the sentence.

Get started

What is an Intensive Pronoun

An intensive pronoun is a type of pronoun used to add emphasis to a noun or another pronoun in a sentence. You might see these pronouns used for emphasis, often immediately following the noun or pronoun they are emphasizing.

Definitions of Intensive Pronouns

Intensive Pronoun: A pronoun that is used to emphasize a preceding noun or pronoun. Common examples include myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. These pronouns reiterate the subject's role in the action without altering the basic meaning of the sentence.

Intensive pronouns perform a unique role in English syntax. They are identical in form to reflexive pronouns, but their function distinguishes them clearly. They are used solely for emphasizing the antecedent, which is the word to which the pronoun refers. For example, in the sentence 'The president himself approved the plan,' 'himself' intensifies the importance of 'the president.'While their structural function might seem limited, intensive pronouns encourage a more descriptive and expressive writing style, often unveiling a layer of personal involvement or importance related to the subject.

Remember, intensive pronouns can be removed from a sentence without changing its meaning, as they serve solely for emphasis.

Identifying Intensive Pronouns

Identifying intensive pronouns within a sentence focuses on two main considerations: placement and purpose. Unlike reflexive pronouns, which are necessary for the action of the sentence, intensive pronouns are supplementary.When trying to identify an intensive pronoun, look closely at:

**Placement**: Typically, an intensive pronoun follows the noun or pronoun it emphasizes, such as: 'Her Majesty herself is overseeing the event.'
**Purpose**: The purpose is solely to intensify the subject for emphasis (e.g., 'I myself will handle it'). Removing the pronoun doesn't change the sentence's core meaning.

In summary, intensive pronouns add a layer of emphasis and personality to language, drawing attention to who is performing the action in a more immediate and impactful way.

Consider the sentence 'The author herself attended the book signing.' In this instance, 'herself' is an intensive pronoun emphasizing that the author, not someone else, attended the book signing.

The deployment of intensive pronouns isn't merely about emphasis. Historically, the use of such pronouns aligns with human social instincts, often acting as a linguistic tool to signify importance or assert the involvement of the particular subject in conversation. In various linguistic traditions and historical literature, the use of intensive constructs helps to color narratives and emphasize roles or moments of significance. The rhetorical and stylistic power of intensive pronouns allows for a more nuanced expression, which has been prevalent in storytelling and impactful discourse from ancient to modern times. Understanding how these pronouns craft emphatic statements enhances your appreciation of literary styles and helps you wield this grammatical tool adeptly.

Intensive Pronoun Examples

Intensive pronouns are used in sentences to emphasize the agent or subject performing the action. Their presence highlights the involvement of specific individuals or groups. Let's explore some examples and contexts so you can better understand their role in language.In everyday communication, intensive pronouns often appear in sentences where emphasis is needed. For instance, when someone wants to make it clear that a certain person took a specific action, the addition of an intensive pronoun can clarify and strengthen that statement.

Common Examples of Intensive Pronouns

1. 'She herself completed the entire project.' - 'Herself' emphasizes that she did it independently without help.2. 'The chef himself prepared this dish.' - 'Himself' adds extra emphasis to the chef's direct involvement.3. 'The students themselves organized the event.' - 'Themselves' highlights the students' initiative in organizing.

Intensive pronouns can be a stylistic choice to enhance interest in narratives by showcasing direct involvement.

Identifying When to Use Intensive Pronouns

There are particular moments when including an intensive pronoun can improve the effect of a message being conveyed. Here are a few pointers to help identify such instances:

Clarity and Emphasis: Use intensive pronouns when a statement requires additional emphasis or when clarifying the subject's role is necessary.
Stylistic Effect: In narratives or descriptive content, they can enhance the engagement by focusing the reader's attention on the subject.
Expressiveness: They enrich dialogues and speeches by making the expressions more vivid and personal.

Correct and strategic use leads to impactful and expressive language construction.

The application of intensive pronouns extends beyond everyday language into the fields of literature, rhetoric, and performance art. In literature, characters might use these pronouns to stress individuality or autonomy, influencing how readers perceive actions and motivations. In speeches, a speaker might use intensive pronouns to rally a crowd, ensuring the focus remains on individual or collective actions. Throughout history, writers have employed these pronouns to make characters relatable and their actions memorable. Mastery of intensive pronoun usage enriches your language skills and enhances your ability to communicate nuanced ideas effectively.

Using Intensive Pronouns in Sentences

An intensive pronoun emphasizes a noun or another pronoun in the same sentence. These pronouns are usually placed immediately after the noun or pronoun to add emphasis to the subject. Let's explore how you can effectively use intensive pronouns within sentences.Intensive pronouns share their form with reflexive pronouns, but unlike reflexive pronouns, they are not essential to the sentence structure. Their purpose is to intensify the subject's presence or action, making the statement more impactful or personal.

Examples of Intensive Pronouns in Sentences

'The CEO herself made the final decision.' - This sentence uses 'herself' to emphasize the CEO's direct involvement in making decisions.
'I myself will ensure everything is completed on time.' - Here, 'myself' strongly asserts the speaker's personal involvement and commitment.
'The students themselves came up with the idea.' – 'Themselves' highlights that the students independently thought of the idea without outside help.

These examples show how intensive pronouns enhance the clarity of the subject's active role in the actions described.

The use of intensive pronouns stems from a deeper linguistic need to add emphasis and drama to language. In historical contexts, such pronouns have been used to highlight notable actions performed by individuals in literature, speeches, and poetry. Writers and speakers often use them to underscore the importance of the subject's actions, craft more engaging and vivid narratives, and strengthen the impact of speeches and statements. This usage can be traced back to the classical languages where similar structures were used to achieve a rhetorical flourish, underscoring the uniqueness of the speaker or subject.

An interesting aspect of intensive pronouns is that removing one from the sentence will not alter its core meaning. They exist solely to add emphasis.

Intensive Pronoun Exercises

Practicing with intensive pronouns can help you grasp their usage and incorporate them confidently into your writing. Exercises focused on these pronouns are designed to enhance your understanding and identification skills, ensuring that you can distinguish between intensive and reflexive pronouns easily.Engage with the exercises below to reinforce your ability to identify, use, and appreciate the nuance these pronouns bring to sentence construction.

Exercise 1: Identifying Intensive Pronouns

Read the following sentences and identify which pronouns are intensive. Remember, these pronouns emphasize a noun or another pronoun.

'The director herself approved the final cut.'
'The chef himself decorated the cake.'
'You must finish the project yourself.'
'The team themselves celebrated their victory.'

Check your answers to see if you identified 'herself,' 'himself,' 'yourself,' and 'themselves' as intensive pronouns.

Example Solution: In the sentence 'The director herself approved the final cut,' 'herself' functions as an intensive pronoun emphasizing 'the director.' All selected pronouns in each sentence serve a similar role, emphasizing their respective subjects.

Exploring the mechanics of sentences featuring intensive pronouns reveals the flexibility and richness they add to language. Often seen in literary works, they provide not only emphasis but also narrative depth, allowing authors to showcase character autonomy, assertiveness, and determination. Understanding these applications can enrich your literary analysis skills, offering insights into characters’ motivations and the subtler dynamics between them. Intensive pronouns offer authors a way to craft lively, emphasis-rich narratives that captivate readers with their nuanced emphasis.

For added practice, try rephrasing sentences with an intensive pronoun by removing it and noting how the emphasis changes.

Exercise 2: Creating Sentences with Intensive Pronouns

Challenge yourself by creating your own sentences using intensive pronouns. Here is a step-by-step guide to assist you:

Select a subject (e.g., 'The artist').
Choose an intensive pronoun that matches the subject (e.g., 'The artist herself').
Construct a sentence where the pronoun emphasizes the subject’s role (e.g., 'The artist herself painted the mural').

By completing this exercise, you familiarize yourself with the placement and impact of intensive pronouns in authentic sentence structures.

Intensive Pronouns - Key takeaways

Intensive Pronouns are pronouns used to add emphasis to a noun or another pronoun in a sentence.
They include pronouns like myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves.
Intensive pronouns can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence and are used for emphasis only.
Examples include: 'The president himself approved the plan' and 'The author herself attended the book signing.'
Exercises for understanding include identifying intensive pronouns in sentences and creating sentences using them.

Intensive Pronouns

StudySmarter Editorial Team