EACH OTHER & ONE ANOTHER
These phrases have the same meaning and can be used interchangeably.
We speak to each other every day. / We speak to one another every day.
Compare the following:
-
- Maria hurt herself. (Meaning: Maria hurt Maria)
- Maria hurt her. (Meaning: Maria hurt another girl).
- Paolo taught himself how to play the guitar. (Meaning: Paolo didn’t have a teacher. He learnt on his own).
- Paolo taught him how to play the guitar. (Meaning: Paolo taught another boy how to play the guitar)
Reflexive Pronouns are common with some verbs:
| enjoy | injure | look after | injure |
| introduce | behave | help | behave |
| hurt | teach | cut | burn |
Common Mistakes
Some common verbs with are reflexive in other languages are NOT reflexive in English.
I relaxed on the beach. Not: I relaxed myself
They felt ill. Not: They felt themselves ill.
We concentrate. Not: We concentrate ourselves.
Some verbs are used in with a reflexive pronoun when it is a surprise that a person completed a task.
Examples:
She walked by herself when she was only 9 months old.
He shaved himself for the first time since the accident.
Complete the multiple-choice exercise below by choosing a reflexive pronoun, each other or one another.