Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Common Problems (Part 46 of 50)

Myself is a reflexive pronoun. It reflects or repeats a previous pronoun in a different form. That is, you must identify I before you use myself.

* It was a time of surrender, seeking help from a source far greater than myself. (…far greater than I. It's not me or myself because the phrase means "far greater than I am great.")

* She gave the money to Maggie and myself. (Incorrect. You have not identified myself.)

* I like you better than I like myself. (This is correct because myself “reflects” or refers to the already-mentioned "I.")

Don't use a reflexive such as myself
unless you have identified the person to whom myself refers.

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