Use myself, yourself, themselves and the rest when the subject and the object are the same person. Use by myself for alone, and each other when two people do the same thing to one another.
A myself, himself, themselves
| I | me | myself |
| he | him | himself |
| she | her | herself |
| you | you | yourself (one person), yourselves (two or more) |
| we | us | ourselves |
| they | them | themselves |
A man straightening his tie in a mirror is looking at himself. A host pointing at the buffet says Help yourself! A family building sandcastles on the beach is enjoying themselves.
- I saw myself on the telly.
- He burnt himself on the oven door.
- She slipped on the ice, but she didn't hurt herself.
- There's cake on the table. Help yourself. (one person)
- There's cake on the table. Help yourselves. (two or more people)
- We had a great weekend in York. We enjoyed ourselves.
- They had a lovely evening. They enjoyed themselves.
B me or myself?
Use me, him, them and so on when the two people are different: she is looking at him.
Use myself, himself, themselves and so on when the two people are the same: he is looking at himself.
- You never listen to me.
- I didn't buy anything for them.
- Sorry, did I wake you?
- I sometimes sing to myself in the car.
- They bought the tickets for themselves.
- Watch out. Don't cut yourself.
C by myself, by yourself
by myself, by yourself, by herself and so on mean alone.
- I went to the pictures by myself. (= I went alone)
- "Was he with his mates?" "No, he was by himself."
D each other
Use each other when two people do the same thing, one to the other.
Compare each other with -selves. Liam and Rosie looked at each other means that he looked at her and she looked at him. Liam and Rosie looked at themselves means that he looked at himself and she looked at herself, perhaps in a shop window.
- Kath and Jo are old friends. They phone each other every Sunday. (= Kath phones Jo and Jo phones Kath)
- Sean and I work near each other. (= he works near me and I work near him)
- Liam and Rosie looked at each other.
- Liam and Rosie looked at themselves.
Exercises
63.1 Finish the sentences with myself, yourself and so on.
She looked at herself in the shop window.
She looked at herself in the shop window.
I'm not cross with you. I'm cross with .
I'm not cross with you. I'm cross with myself.
Gary had a great time in Edinburgh. He enjoyed .
Gary had a great time in Edinburgh. He enjoyed himself.
My parents had a great time in Cornwall. They enjoyed .
My parents had a great time in Cornwall. They enjoyed themselves.
I was chopping onions and I cut .
I was chopping onions and I cut myself.
She never thinks about other people. She only thinks about .
She never thinks about other people. She only thinks about herself.
I'd like to know more about you. Tell me about . (one person)
I'd like to know more about you. Tell me about yourself.
Bye! Have a lovely weekend and look after ! (two people)
Bye! Have a lovely weekend and look after yourselves!
63.2 Write each sentence again with by myself, by yourself and so on.
I went to the beach alone. (I went ...)
I went to the beach by myself.
I went to the beach by myself.
When I saw her, she was alone. (When I saw her, she ...)
When I saw her, she was by herself.
Don't walk home alone. (Don't ...)
Don't walk home by yourself.
I had lunch alone. (I ...)
I had lunch by myself.
My grandad lives alone. (My grandad ...)
My grandad lives by himself.
Lots of students live alone. (Lots of students ...)
Lots of students live by themselves.
63.3 Read each scene. Write a sentence with each other.
Two neighbours are chatting over a garden fence. He says, "I trust her." She says, "I trust him."
(They / trust)
They trust each other.
They trust each other.
A tall hedge stands between two gardens. A man on one side says, "I can't hear her." A woman on the other side says, "I can't hear him."
(They / can't hear)
They can't hear each other.
One cousin lives in Leeds and the other lives in Sydney. She says, "I often ring him." He says, "I often ring her."
(They / often ring)
They often ring each other.
A man and a woman are standing at a party. He says, "I don't know her." She says, "I don't know him."
(They / don't know)
They don't know each other.
On a train, a man says, "I'm sitting opposite her." The woman says, "I'm sitting opposite him."
(They / are sitting opposite)
They're sitting opposite each other.
A woman says, "I sent him a birthday card." A man says, "I sent her a birthday card."
(They / sent / birthday cards)
They sent each other birthday cards.
63.4 Complete the sentences. Use each other, or ourselves, yourselves, themselves, or us, you, them.
Rhys and I work near each other.
Rhys and I work near each other.
Who are those men? Do you know them?
Who are those men? Do you know them?
You lend Ellie books and Ellie lends you books. So you and Ellie lend books.
You lend Ellie books and Ellie lends you books. So you and Ellie lend each other books.
There's tea in the pot. If you and Sam want some, you can help .
There's tea in the pot. If you and Sam want some, you can help yourselves.
We didn't go to Kieran's wedding. He didn't invite .
We didn't go to Kieran's wedding. He didn't invite us.
When we go to Blackpool, we always enjoy .
When we go to Blackpool, we always enjoy ourselves.
Lisa and Hannah worked together for years, but they never see now.
Lisa and Hannah worked together for years, but they never see each other now.
Dom and I are old friends. We've known since primary school.
Dom and I are old friends. We've known each other since primary school.
"Did you see Ian and Paula at the wedding?" "Yes, but I didn't speak to ."
Did you see Ian and Paula at the wedding? Yes, but I didn't speak to them.
Lots of people sing to in the shower.
Lots of people sing to themselves in the shower.