When to Use "Yourself" in a Sentence (With Examples)

When to Use "Yourself" in a Sentence

The word "yourself" is a reflexive pronoun, and it serves a specific purpose in English. Using it correctly makes your writing clearer and more precise. Using it incorrectly can make sentences awkward or grammatically wrong. Here's how to get it right.

Reflexive Use: When the Subject and Object Are the Same

The primary job of "yourself" is to reflect the action back to the subject. Use it when "you" is both performing and receiving the action.

"You should prepare yourself for the interview."
"Did you hurt yourself?"
"You need to pace yourself during the marathon."

In each case, the person doing the action is also the person affected by it. Without "yourself," these sentences would either lose meaning or sound incomplete.

Emphatic Use: Adding Emphasis

"Yourself" can stress that you specifically did something, often implying no one else helped.

"You built that shelf yourself?"
"You yourself admitted the plan had flaws."
"I think you should handle this yourself."

This usage is optional but effective when you want to highlight personal responsibility or independence.

After Prepositions

When a preposition refers back to "you" as the subject, use "yourself."

"You should be proud of yourself."
"Take some time for yourself."
"Stop being so hard on yourself."

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using "yourself" instead of "you" as a subject or standalone object. This happens frequently in business and formal writing, and it's always wrong.

Incorrect: "Please contact myself or yourself with questions."
Correct: "Please contact me or you with questions."
Incorrect: "Yourself and John should attend the meeting."
Correct: "You and John should attend the meeting."

"Yourself" should never replace "you" as a subject. It should never be used simply to sound more formal or polite. The impulse to write "yourself" when "you" is sufficient often comes from overcorrection.

Using "yourself" when the subject isn't "you."

Incorrect: "She made dinner for yourself."
Correct: "She made dinner for you."

Reflexive pronouns must match their subject. "Yourself" only pairs with "you."

Quick Reference

Use "yourself" when:

The subject "you" is also the object of the verb
You want to emphasize that "you" personally did something
A preposition refers back to the subject "you"

Do not use "yourself" when:

"You" works fine on its own
The subject of the sentence is someone other than "you"
You're trying to sound formal (it actually sounds less natural)

Mastering "yourself" comes down to one question: is "you" both the doer and the receiver? If yes, use "yourself." If not, stick with "you."

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