English Today

Reflexive and Emphatic Pronouns - Practice

Grammar Reference

A. Fill in: myself / yourself / himself /ourselves or yourselves

Jim: Bye Mum, we're going to Simon's birthday party.

Mum: OK. Enjoy -----------, boys. And, Jim, don't eat too much cake or you'll make --------- sick. Have you got a card to take with you?

Jim: Yes, we have. Mark and I made it ---------------. What are you and Dad going to do this afternoon, Mum?

Mum: I'm going to buy ----------- some new clothes and Dad's going to study. He's trying to teach ---------- Italian. Have a good time at the party and behave ----------- .

 

B. Fill in the appropriate reflexive and emphatic pronouns

1. My dad cut ----------- shaving yesterday.

2. Julie cooked ----------- some dinner.

3. Please, help ---------- to more biscuits, John.

4. I enjoyed ---------- at the party last night.

5. We don't need any help. We can do it ------------.

6. The children drew all these pictures ------------ .

 

C. Fill in the appropriate reflexive pronouns

Yesterday, my sister and I went to the shop to buy ------------ some chocolate. On the way home, Tonia fell down and hurt ------------- and I cut -------------- on some broken glass. When we got home, my brother and his friends were enjoying ----------- playing in the garden. My brother shouted: " Look at ---------" and he began to laugh at us. When we looked at ----------- in the mirror, there was nothing wrong except for some chocolate round our mouths.

 

ANSWER KEY

A. yourselves / yourself / ourselves / myself / himself  / yourself

B. 1. himself / 2. herself / 3. yourself / 4. myself / 5. ourselves / 6. themselves

C. ourselves / herself / myself / themselves / yourselves / ourselves

SOURCE: Round-Up 4 by Virginia Evans

Reflexive and Emphatic Pronouns - Possessives

Reflexive – Emphatic Pronouns	Personal Pronouns (before verbs)	Personal Pronouns (after verbs)	Possessive Adjectives (followed by nouns)	Possessive Pronouns (not followed by nouns)
Myself	I	Me	My	Mine
Yourself	You	You	Your	Yours
Himself	He	Him	His	His
Herself	She	Her	Her	Hers
Itself	It	It	Its	------
Ourselves	We	Us	Our	Ours
Yourselves	You	You	Your	Yours
Themselves	They	Them	Their	Theirs

 

A. Reflexive Pronouns are used:

After certain verbs such as kill, burn, enjoy, hurt, look at, teach , when the subject and the object of the verb are the same person.

- I’ve cut myself. / Did you enjoy yourself at the party?

B. Emphatic Pronouns are used:

At the end of the sentence or after the noun phrase they refer to, to emphasize the noun or the fact that one person and not another performs an action.

- He can fix the car (by) himself.

C. Note these expressions:

Enjoy yourself! = Have a good time!

Behave yourself! = Be good!

I like being by myself = I like being alone.

She lives by herself = She lives alone.

Help yourself to tea! = Don’t wait to be offered tea!

Source: Round-Up 4 by Virginia Evans

 

Igcse Esl - Speaking Test - Past Exam Topics - Part II

IGCSE ESL Oral Assessment

Past Exam Topics - May/June 2009

B. The Importance of Music

Many people listen to music for pleasure, but music can be more important in our lives.

Discuss this idea with the Examiner.

You may wish to consider such things as:

• different types of music that you know about
• the effect that music you like has on you
• how music can affect people in different ways
• why nations have musical anthems and traditions
• how people would cope in a world without music

You are free to consider any other ideas of your own.

You are not allowed to make any written notes.

C. Achievement

Most of us have aims, goals or targets in our lives

Discuss this idea with the examiner.

You may wish to consider such things as:

• what you have done so far in your life that you are proud of
• any aims or goals you have set yourself for the future
• achievement by other people that has impressed you
• what can be learned from failure to achieve
• how a nation can be judged in terms of its achievement

You are free to consider any other ideas of your own.

You are not allowed to make any written notes.

D. Humour

What makes one person laugh can make another person cry.

Discuss humour with the Examiner.

You may wish to consider such things as:

• what makes you laugh
• some humorous people you know and what makes them amusing
• how important it is to have a sense of humour
• the idea that humour does not necessarily need words to make us laugh
• how certain types of humour can be cruel or damaging

You are free to consider any other ideas of your own.

You are not allowed to make any written notes.

E. Living in another country

There are many people in the world who have never travelled outside their home country; there are many other people who live a long way from home.

Discuss this situation with the Examiner.

You may wish to consider such things as:

• your experiences of living at home or abroad
• a country in which you would particularly like to live
• the advantages and disadvantages of living in a different country
• reasons why some people can never leave their homeland or choose not to leave their homeland.
• how true it is to say that the world is now a global community

You are free to consider any other ideas of your own.

You are not allowed to make any written notes.

Igcse Esl - Speaking Test - Past Exam Topics - Part I

 

It's that time of year again when the countdown starts for the igcse esl candidates. The Speaking Test is round the corner, so I thought I'd post some past exam topics. However, read the following tips carefully before you start preparing for the Igcse Esl Oral Assessment.

• DO NOT prepare a script of various past exam topics. This is the surest road to failure! After all, it's a speaking test!
• Use the past exam topics as thought-challenging topics and think of what you have to say.
• Make sure you use spoken forms of English - NOT including slang - and a variety of structure and vocabulary.
• This exam is all about ...chatting with a native speaker.  Surely you will make mistakes but don't worry too much about them if you are able to communicate and engage your examiner in the conversation!
• The Igcse Speaking Test is neither a speech nor an interview. It's a conversation!
• Most importantly, relax! Be cool and ...don't be afraid to disagree with your examiner, nicely and politely, once you can justify your opinion.

PAST EXAM TOPICS - MAY/JUNE 2009

A. Crime

Crime is increasing in some countries.

Discuss issues related to crime with the Examiner.

You may wish to consider such things as:

• any ways in which crime has affected you or might affect you directly
• which crimes are serious and which crimes are minor
• whether you think the punishment for committing crime in your country is strict enough
• some reasons why people commit crime and how it could be prevented
• why you think that in some places crime is on the increase.

You are free to consider any other ideas of your own,

You are not allowed to make any written notes.