intensive and reflexive pronoun online exercise for - Free Printable

Let's solve this worksheet on reflexive and intensive pronouns. The goal is to fill in the blanks with the correct reflexive or intensive pronoun (e.g., *himself, herself, themselves, myself*, etc.).

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🔹 First, let’s understand the difference:

- Reflexive pronouns: Used when the subject and object of the sentence are the same person/thing.
Example: *She cut herself.*
(The action reflects back on the subject.)

- Intensive pronouns: Used to emphasize the subject. They’re not necessary for the sentence to make sense but add emphasis.
Example: *I myself saw it.*
(Emphasizing "I" — not required, but adds stress.)

Now, let’s go through each sentence.

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✔ Sentence 7:

They will have to figure that out _________.

- Who is doing the figuring? "They"
- The action (figuring) must be done by them.
- So we need a reflexive pronoun for "they".

👉 themselves

✔ Answer: They will have to figure that out themselves.

> ✔️ Reflexive: "They" do the action to themselves.

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✔ Sentence 8:

I have never seen _________ as particularly romantic.

- We need a pronoun that refers to someone being described as unromantic.
- The subject is "I", but the object is missing — who has the speaker never seen?
- It's likely referring to him, her, or them — but we don’t know from context.
- But notice: “seen _______” → we need an object pronoun.
- However, since it’s about someone’s personality ("romantic"), and no specific person is named, we can infer it might be himself/herself if emphasizing self-perception?

Wait — let’s reconsider.

Actually, the structure is:
“I have never seen [someone] as particularly romantic.”

But here, there's no noun before the blank. So likely, it's himself or herself — meaning the person is not romantic even to themselves?

No — better interpretation: perhaps it's him or her — but we need to use a reflexive form?

Wait — actually, this is tricky.

But look:
"I have never seen him as particularly romantic." → This works, but him is not reflexive.

But the instruction says "reflexive and intensive pronouns" — so maybe it's himself?

Try:
"I have never seen himself as particularly romantic." → ✘ Grammatically incorrect. "Himself" can't be used like that unless it's reflexive.

Better:
"I have never seen him as particularly romantic." → Correct, but him is not reflexive.

So why is this on a reflexive/intensive worksheet?

Ah! Perhaps it's meant to be:
"I have never seen himself as particularly romantic." — but only if the subject is he.

Wait — the subject is I, so "himself" doesn’t agree.

Let’s try another angle.

Maybe the sentence is incomplete? But looking at the pattern, perhaps it's meant to be:

"I have never seen him himself as particularly romantic." → No, that’s awkward.

Wait — perhaps it's a typo or misphrasing.

Alternatively, consider:

"I have never seen myself as particularly romantic." → That makes sense!

That would mean: "I don't see myself as romantic."

And myself is an intensive/reflexive pronoun.

So maybe the intended answer is myself?

But the sentence says “I have never seen ________ as particularly romantic.” — so the blank is the object.

If I say: "I have never seen myself as particularly romantic." → Yes, that's grammatically correct and common.

So the person is reflecting on their own romantic nature.

✔ Answer: myself

> ✔️ Intensive/reflexive: emphasizes the speaker’s self-perception.

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✔ Sentence 9:

Did you think he would show up _________?

- Subject: "he"
- Action: "show up"
- Would he show up by himself? Or on his own?

We want a reflexive pronoun: himself

👉 "Did you think he would show up himself?"

Yes — this means "Did you expect him to come personally?" (emphasizing that he came alone, or personally).

✔ Answer: himself

> ✔️ Intensive use: emphasizes that he came personally.

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✔ Sentence 10:

Mark _________ organized the event.

- Subject: Mark
- Verb: organized
- We need a pronoun after Mark.

Can we say: "Mark himself organized the event." → Yes!

This emphasizes that Mark did it personally, not someone else.

✔ Answer: himself

> ✔️ Intensive pronoun — emphasizes that Mark did it.

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✔ Sentence 11:

She says she baked the cookies _________.

- Subject: she
- Action: baked the cookies
- Did she bake them by herself? Yes — implies no one else helped.

So we need reflexive pronoun: herself

👉 "She says she baked the cookies herself."

✔ Answer: herself

> ✔️ Intensive: emphasizes that she did it alone.

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✔ Sentence 12:

The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late _________.

- Subject: he (Kyle)
- Adjective: late
- We need something after "late"

What does this mean? "He’s usually late... by himself?" That doesn’t make sense.

Or: "He’s usually late himself"? → Not idiomatic.

Wait — maybe: "He’s usually late on his own"? But that’s not a pronoun.

Alternative: Is it possible it's himself?

But "late himself" doesn't work.

Wait — perhaps it's a mistake?

But consider:
"The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late himself." → Still awkward.

Alternatively, could it be:
"He’s usually late in his own time"? But again, not a pronoun.

Wait — perhaps the intended meaning is:
"He’s usually late himself" — but that’s not standard.

Wait — maybe it's:
"He’s usually late to himself"? No.

Hmm.

Wait — perhaps the sentence is:
"The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late for himself"? Still odd.

Alternatively, maybe the intended sentence is:
"He’s usually late himself" — but that’s not natural.

Wait — what if it's himself as an intensive?

But "late himself" isn’t correct.

Wait — perhaps the intended meaning is:
"He’s usually late by himself" — but that’s not a pronoun.

Alternatively, maybe it’s a typo and should be:
“The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late because of himself”? But that’s not a pronoun.

Wait — perhaps the sentence is:
“He’s usually late himself” — but that’s not correct English.

Wait — another possibility:
“...he’s usually late when he’s by himself”? But again, not matching.

Wait — perhaps it’s himself as an intensifier?

But “late himself” is not idiomatic.

Wait — maybe it’s himself meaning “personally”, like “he’s late — he himself is late”.

But that’s redundant.

Alternatively, maybe it's himself as in:
“He’s usually late himself” — meaning “he personally is late”, but still awkward.

Wait — perhaps the intended sentence is:
“The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late on his own” — but that’s not a pronoun.

Wait — maybe the correct answer is himself anyway?

Let’s check online or common usage.

Actually, there’s a common expression:
“She’s always late herself” — no, that’s not right.

Wait — no such phrase.

Wait — perhaps it’s:
“He’s usually late without realizing it” — but again, not a pronoun.

Wait — maybe the sentence is:
“The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late himself” — but that’s not correct.

Wait — unless it’s himself as an intensive for emphasis:
“He’s usually late — himself!” — but that’s not how it works.

Wait — perhaps the correct answer is himself, and the sentence is:
“The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late himself” — but that’s not standard.

Wait — maybe it’s a typo, and it should be:
“The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late for himself” — still odd.

Wait — let’s think differently.

Is there a possibility that the sentence is:
“He’s usually late by himself” — but again, not a pronoun.

Wait — perhaps the intended answer is himself, and the sentence is:
“The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late himself” — but that’s not idiomatic.

Wait — I recall a similar sentence:
“Why are you late? I’m late myself.” — yes, that works.

So:
“He’s usually late himself” — but that’s not correct.

Wait — no. “I’m late myself” = “I too am late”.

So: “He’s usually late himself” = “He himself is usually late” — which is acceptable.

Yes! That’s a valid use.

So:
“The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late himself.” → means: “Kyle himself is usually late.”

It emphasizes that it’s Kyle personally who is late.

So himself is used intensively to emphasize the subject.

✔ Answer: himself

> ✔️ Intensive pronoun — emphasizes that Kyle is the one who’s late.

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✔ Final Answers:

| # | Sentence | Answer |
|---|--------|--------|
| 7 | They will have to figure that out ________. | themselves |
| 8 | I have never seen ________ as particularly romantic. | myself |
| 9 | Did you think he would show up ________? | himself |
|10 | Mark ________ organized the event. | himself |
|11 | She says she baked the cookies ________. | herself |
|12 | The thing about Kyle is that he’s usually late ________. | himself |

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✔ Summary:

All answers use intensive pronouns to emphasize the subject or reflect personal action.

- Themselves (7): They must do it by themselves.
- Myself (8): I don’t see myself as romantic.
- Himself (9): He showed up personally.
- Himself (10): Mark personally organized it.
- Herself (11): She baked them alone.
- Himself (12): Kyle himself is usually late.

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🟩 Final Answer Key:

7. themselves
8. myself
9. himself
10. himself
11. herself
12. himself

Let me know if you'd like a printable version or explanation for each!