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Collocations of Reflexive Pronouns with Verbs and Prepositions

Abstract: This essay mainly focuses on the collocations of reflexive pronouns withverbs and prepositions so it is divided into two parts: the collocations of reflexive pronouns

with verbs and the collocation of reflexive pronouns with prepositions, each containing a

number of phrases together with example sentences.

Topic words: examples, reflexive pronoun, verb, preposition

In a sense, reflexive pronouns are used in situations where the subject and object refer

to the same person. However, on a number of occasions, such collocation may carry special

meanings. In the following part of this essay, we will give a few examples of such

collocations and they are divided into the collocation of reflexive pronouns with

prepositions and the collocations of reflexive pronouns with verbs.

The collocation of reflexive pronouns with prepositions

The structure of a preposition followed by a reflexive pronoun always plays the role of

adverbial or complement. Such phrases are idiomatic. s the number of the common used

ones is limited, we list them one by one as follows:

a. by oneself alone or automatically

He lives by himself. !" alone#The machine wor$s by itself

b. of oneself automatically

Success will not come of itselfto $noc$ at your door.

c. for oneself in person!after words li$e see, find, decide, etc.#

If you don%t believe me, you may go there and seefor yourself

d. to oneself belong to

How I wish to have a room to myself.

e. in oneself concerning with the nature of

The invitation is in itselfa friendship step.

f. beside oneself be wild with joy, etc or totally engaged

He was beside himselfwith joy.

g. between ourselves a secret between two people

This matter is between ourselves.

h. among ourselves similar to between ourselves but used only with three people

or more

They divided the apple among themselves.

i. above oneself happy or proud

Hearing the news they were &uite above themselves.

j. in spite of oneself cannot help doing sth

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'hen he heard the good news he laughed in spite of himself.

Collocations of reflexive pronouns with verbs'e have mentioned in the introduction that such structure is used whenever the

subject and the object refer to the same person so this $ind of collocations is countless. 'e

will just name a few special ones and catalogue them by means of sentence structure.

The structure of SVO:

Some reflexive pronouns often collocate with verbs such as deport, behave, conduct,

etc. to show good manners and bad manners.

Hebehaved himselffairly well when he was at college.

She always conducts herselfli$e a lady.

The boys were trained to deport themselvesli$e gentlemen.

In addition, there are &uite a few of reflexive verbs in this structure.

(erbs which are re&uired reflexive object are called reflexive verbs, such as absent

oneself (from), avail oneself (of), betake oneself,pride oneself (on).

(erbs where the reflexive pronoun may be left out with little or no change in meaning

are called optionally reflexive verbs, such as adjust (oneself), dress (oneself), prove

(oneself to be competent),shave (oneself), wash (oneself)

The structure of SVoO:

She made herself a fine dress.Ipromise myself a fruitful discussion with you.

The youthpromised himself a rapid progress.

I have left myself little space to write of Huxley%s contributions to )oological

science.

The structure of SVOC:

In some S(*+ structures, the complement shows the result of a certain action to the

subject, such as:

He talked himself hoarse.

They quarreled themselves red in the face.

Thesky has rained itself out.

He drank himself under the table.

ohn had begun tofret and worry himself out of spirit and appetite.

In other S(*+ structures, reflexive pronouns collocate with words li$e find, hear,

catch to show that the subject do something without reali)ing it. -xamples are as follows:

The enemy found themselves in a dilemma.

r. onesfound himself thinking.

He heard himself apologizing to her.

She caught herself making the same grammatical mistake.

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In phrases where reflexive pronouns collocate with words li$e see or fancy, the

complement is what the subject imagines himself to be, such as:

She stillfancies herself young and beautiful.I can%tsee myself allowing people to cheat me.

In addition to the usage entioned above! there are soe idioatic collocations:

/ou mustpull yourself together.!pluc$ up one%s spirit#

She took herself away. !went away#

He oftenputs himself forward. !puts on airs#

+arl played a jo$e on 0ob and gave himself away!revealed his original purpose#

by laughing.

He has reallyput himself out !made efforts# to see that everybody is comfortable.

"esides! there are also soe proverbs with reflexive pronouns:

Hemade a nuisance of himself.!annoyed others#

I don%t want to make a show of myself !become a laughing stoc$# before strangers.

1on%t make a pig of yourself. !eat a lot and in a bad manner#

He could have hugged himself for joy!be happy and contented# at his success.

ll in all, the general usage of reflexive pronouns is listed above. 0y using correct

collocations we can enrich our language and ma$e it more colorful.

2eferences:

3.2005 482-487

4. +.-.-+5-2S6-/, .. 71 .. -+5-2S6-/, .., 8 +*22-H-7SI(-

-796ISH 922, 6*797 92*;< 6IIT-1, 6*71*7, 3=>?, pp: 3@AB3?4.

@. 271*6