themselves
themselves — pronoun
1. used as the object of a verb or preposition when the people or animals doing the
used as the object of a verb or preposition when the people or animals doing the action are the same people or animals that receive the action — for example, when children wash themselves, or when a team blames themselves for losing.
The children taught themselves to swim during the summer holidays.
reflexive: group as both subject and object
Noa and Quinn felt proud of themselves after finishing the race.
The senior team members pushed themselves hard to meet the deadline.
Liang and Rin locked themselves out of the house by accident.
The stray cats in our neighborhood clean themselves on the sunny porch every afternoon.
文法句型
they/group + verb + themselves
用法筆記
This is the core reflexive use of 'themselves'. The subject must be plural (they, a group of people, or animals). For a single person with unknown gender, use sense 3 (SINGULAR THEY).
常見錯誤
2. used to draw attention to a particular group, stressing that it really was that
used to draw attention to a particular group, stressing that it really was that group (and no other) who performed the action — for example, when the managers themselves admit a mistake, or when the athletes themselves choose their captain.
The teachers themselves admitted the exam was much too difficult.
emphatic: [group] + themselves + verb
The sixth-grade students themselves came up with the bake-sale idea to fund their trip.
The Olympic relay runners themselves chose their team captain before the championship.
The hospital staff themselves donated money to buy new equipment.
文法句型
they + themselves + verb
noun/name + themselves + verb
用法筆記
In this sense 'themselves' comes directly after the noun or pronoun it emphasizes. It cannot be removed without changing the meaning — the emphasis would be lost. Compare: 'The CEO apologized' (simple fact) vs 'The CEO herself apologized' (emphasizes the CEO's personal involvement). For a single person, use 'himself' or 'herself'.
3. used instead of 'himself' or 'herself' when talking about one person whose gende
used instead of 'himself' or 'herself' when talking about one person whose gender is not known or not important — for example, when a doctor says 'a patient should not treat themselves', or when a notice asks 'each guest to help themselves to drinks'.
If a new member joins the club, give them time to introduce themselves.
singular they: someone + themselves (gender unknown)
A new employee who feels unwell at work should take care of themselves before continuing.
Every guest at the party was asked to help themselves to the buffet.
Each student in the biology class can choose a topic for themselves to research at the science fair.
文法句型
someone/anyone/ + verb + themselves
用法筆記
This use of 'themselves' with a singular antecedent (someone, anyone, everyone, each person) is common in modern English, especially in everyday speech. Some formal style guides still prefer 'himself or herself', but singular 'they/them/themselves' is now widely accepted in most contexts.
常見錯誤
4. alone, without other people nearby; or without help from anyone else — for examp
alone, without other people nearby; or without help from anyone else — for example, when children walk to school on their own, or when a team builds a shelter without outside assistance.
The children walked to school by themselves for the first time.
by themselves = alone, unaccompanied
After the party, the hosts were left by themselves to clean up.
The students built the model rocket by themselves without any help.
The elderly couple live by themselves in a small mountain village.
Tuan and Arjun repaired the broken fence by themselves over the weekend.
- alone
focuses on being unaccompanied rather than unaided; 'live alone' is more common than 'live by themselves'
- on their own
interchangeable with 'by themselves' in most contexts; slightly more informal
- independently
more formal; emphasizes lack of external help rather than solitude
文法句型
by themselves
用法筆記
The meaning depends on context: 'by themselves' can mean either 'alone/without company' or 'without assistance'. When both interpretations are possible, the surrounding context clarifies which one is intended.
5. for their own exclusive benefit or use, without sharing with others; or based on
for their own exclusive benefit or use, without sharing with others; or based on their own judgment, not on what others say — for example, when a family has the whole beach to themselves, or when voters decide for themselves whom to support.
The guests had the whole swimming pool to themselves.
have [something] to themselves = for their exclusive use
The research team kept the data for themselves and did not share it.
The residents of the town must decide for themselves who should become the next mayor.
Zola and Nikos built a small fire and cooked dinner for themselves.
- for their own benefit
more formal; specifies the purpose rather than exclusive use
文法句型
for themselves
用法筆記
When followed by an infinitive (e.g. 'decide for themselves what to do'), this phrase means 'without having others decide for them'. When used with 'have [something] to themselves', it means the thing is exclusively for their use.
6. not in their usual happy, healthy, or calm state — used when people behave stran
not in their usual happy, healthy, or calm state — used when people behave strangely because they are sick, tired, worried, or upset. For example, when someone who is usually cheerful seems sad, you might say 'they are not themselves today'.
The twins have been quiet all morning — they are not themselves today.
be + not + themselves = acting unusually
After the long flight, the children did not feel like themselves at all.
The team played poorly and looked nothing like themselves on the field.
Nora and Abigail were so exhausted they could barely be themselves.
- not like themselves
less idiomatic; describes behavior rather than inner state
- out of sorts
slightly informal; also means not feeling well or in a good mood
- themselves again
used after recovery: 'They are themselves again' means back to normal
文法句型
be + not + themselves
feel + themselves
用法筆記
This sense almost always appears in negative form ('not themselves') or with modifiers like 'quite' or 'really' ('not quite themselves', 'not really themselves'). It is used with the verb 'to be' or 'to feel' and describes a temporary condition, not a permanent personality change.