Reflexive pronouns, emphatic pronouns

There are only a very few verbs in English, which must always be followed by reflexives: absent oneself (уклоняться), avail oneself of (воспользоваться ч-л.), pride oneself on (гордиться ч-л.).

The soldier absented himself without leave for three weeks.

Other verbs are very commonly followed by reflexives: amuse, blame, cut, dry, enjoy, hurt, introduce. These verbs can be followed by ordinary objects.

He cut himself shaving this morning. He cut his cheek.

Note the following sentences where personal pronouns are preferred to reflexive pronouns (especially after prepositions of place): She went in, closing the door behind her. She put the thought from her. He looked about him. She looked in front of her.

Reflexive pronouns may also be used in a different way: together with the verb they may form set phrases: I’m afraid she is forgetting herself. (забывается) He found himself in a strange place. (оказался) Help yourself! (угощайся) Make yourself at home. (располагайся, чувствуй себя как дома) Make yourself heard (understood). At last she came to herself. (пришла в себя)

Besides there are some phrases with reflexive pronouns which are to be treated as set phrases because they have idiomatic meaning: Are we by ourselves again? (одни) She was almost beside herself with anger. (вне себя) In spite of myself I was interested. (наперекор себе, вопреки своему желанию) Go and find for yourself how it is done. (сам) It is a word complete in itself. (само по себе) As for myself, I don’t like it. (что касается меня) Let’s leave her to herself. (оставим её одну) We can drive the car among ourselves. (вдвоём по очереди) Note the following sentences: She is a beauty itself. I’m glad to see that he is himself again. Compare: She did it herself. (She participated in the work.) She did it by herself. (She did smth without anybody’s help.)

Exercise 50. Supply reflexive pronouns where possible:

1. I found … doing nearly all the talking. 2. He was amiability … . 3. We enjoyed … at the party. 4. He made … very unpopular. 5. I was very pleased with … when I got such a good job. 6. Why is she sitting all by … in the dark? 7. Sandra looked at … in the long mirror. 8. I liked having lodgings of my own, where I could be by … . 9. I closed the door behind … . 10. Every man is important to … at one time or another. 11. All day the children were beside … from excitement. 12. It is easy to translate this text. I can do it … . 13. The play … was interesting but the acting was poor. 14. The knife is very sharp. Don’t cut … . 15. She learnt Spanish … . 16. My sister is only four years old. But she can wash and dress … . 17. She looked at … in the mirror and was satisfied. 18. Who made such a beautiful dress? – I have made it … . 19. The taxi didn’t come and we had to carry our heavy luggage … . 20. He … can’t believe that he took the first place. 21. Who told you they bought a new flat? – Olga … . 22. Don’t worry about us. We can take care of … . 23. He tried to make … understood but he failed to get the class to understand. 24. He is very selfish. He only thinks of … . 25. I don’t feel … today. 26. His mother warned him to behave … at his sister’s wedding.

Exercise 51. Use reflexive or personal pronouns:

1. Look behind …! You’ve dropped something. 2. I always keep this photo in front of … on my table. 3. It is cold. Close the door behind … . 4. When she came to … she found … on the hospital bed. 5. I don’t like anybody to do my work instead of … . 6. Take care of …! Don’t work hard. 7. It was so dark that we could hardly see anything in front of … . 8. I read the newspaper … first and then gave it to my sister. 9. Did he enjoy … at the party? 10. Don’t ask for help. Do it … . 11. The little girl is trying to dress … . 12. Did you invite him …? 13. My father decorated the house … . 14. Mary never stops looking at … in the mirror. 15. I’ll go back to Greece. We really enjoyed … there. 16. I’ve prepared all the food by … . 17. Cats are very clean animals which are always washing … . 18. They painted the room … . 19. The music was so loud that she had to shout to make … heard. 20. If you don’t behave … , I won’t give you any sweets. 21. The mouse in the cage is washing … . 22. Help … to the cake.

Exercise 52. Translate into English:

1. Мы видели это своими собственными глазами. 2. Это не моя ручка, мне нужна моя. 3. Она очутилась в незнакомом месте. 4. Один мой друг знает девять языков. 5. Сначала прочитайте текст про себя. 6. Эта машина твоя, можешь пользоваться ею. 7. Он верит только тому, что слышит своими ушами. 8. Кто там? – Это я, твоя тётя Клара из Бразилии. 9. Он не только сам пришёл, но и привёл с собой всех своих родственников. 10. Не забудь взять свой зонтик. Я тебе свой не дам. 11. Посмотри на себя в зеркало. Ты очень грязный. 12. Он сам знает наш адрес. 13. Что ты собираешься взять с собой в поездку? 14. – Он на вечере был со своей женой? – Нет, он был один. 15. Судите сами, кто из нас прав! 16. – Она оставила свои ключи в отеле. – Ничего, у меня есть свои. 17. Ребёнок вышел и забыл закрыть за собой дверь. 18. Она порезалась острым ножом. 19. Мы не смогли сами починить магнитофон и попросили нашего друга сделать это. 20. Я поставил перед собой чашку кофе и начал читать вчерашнюю газету. 21. Она всегда шьёт всё сама. 22. Если я сам не напишу это письмо – никто другой этого не сделает

“It” as an “empty subject”

The pronoun it is sometimes called an empty subject, because it carries no real information. It is present because every English sentence has to contain a subject and a verb. Time: It is nine o’clock. It’s Sunday. It’s May 31^st. It’s time: It’s time (for us) to do it. Weather: It’s raining. It’s hot. Temperature: It’s + 35°C. Distance: It’s 10 miles to/from that town. The tides: It’s high tide at 10.45. Environment: It’s noisy in here. Present situation: Isn’t it a shame! With since: It’s ten years since we last met. With says: It says here there was a great storm in Hove. With take: It takes (me) 15 minutes to get to work.

“It” as a “preparatory subject”

It as a preparatory subject often combines with: adjectives: e.g. difficult, easy, important, vital. It’s difficult (for him) to come here. nouns: e.g. fun, a pity, a pleasure, a shame. It’s a pity he hasn’t come! verb: e.g. appear, happen, look, seem. It appears that he had to stay at home.

Exercise 53. Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Довольно поздно, не правда ли? 2. Неправильно. 3. Было холодное зимнее утро. 4. Жарко. 5. Лето. 6. Была весна. 7. Пять часов. 8. Темно. 9. В зале холодно или нет? 10. Холодно, не так ли? 11. Сейчас пять или шесть часов? 12. Здесь так душно. 13. У меня уходит 20 минут, чтобы добраться до работы. 14. До лагеря – три километра. 15. Трудно понять человека, который не хочет быть понятым. 16. На выполнение домашнего задания у неё уходит два часа. 17. Случилось так, что мы заблудились в своём собственном лесу. 18. Позор, что она забыла о своём обещании! 19. Жизненно необходимо, чтобы они приехали. 20. Уже одиннадцать лет, как мы знакомы. 21. Забавно, что ты тоже спрашиваешь об этом. 22. Кажется, я вот-вот найду правильное решение.

Exercise 54. Fill in the blanks with “it is” or “there is”:

1. ... warm in the room. 2. ... a theatre in our street. 3. ... easy to understand this rule. 4. ... five o’clock in the afternoon. 5. ... so nice seeing you again. 6. ... nothing to be done about this. 7. ... often a rainbow after rain. 8. ... too late to go there now. 9. ... a lot of snow this year. 10. ... a mistake in your dictation. 11. ... far from my house to the Institute. 12. ... difficult to say what’s wrong about it. 13. ... very strange that he hasn’t come. 14. ... still very early and ... nobody to be seen in the street. 15. ... usually a stamp on the envelope. 16. ... so cold out-of-doors today. 17. ... electricity in all the houses of the town. 18. ... a party at our University tonight. 19. ... a lot of work to do. 20. ... not any coffee left. 21. ... cold today; ... a strong wind. 22. ... not a single mistake in your exercise. 23. ... dark; ... no moon. 24. ... not very far to walk. 25. ... too early to leave yet. 26. ... a cassette-recorder in the classroom. 27. ... strange that she is absent today. 28. ... a post-office near the house I live in. 29. ... a pity that you can’t come with me. 30. ... not true to say that she is my friend. 31. ... time to begin our lesson. 32. ... no time to write it down, the lesson is nearly over. 33. ... a fact that he is often absent from school.

Exercise 55. Use “it” or “there”:

1. … is winter. … is a lot of snow. 2. … was Christmas. … were a lot of presents for the children under the Christmas tree. 3. … were a lot of clouds in the morning. Now … is clear again. 4. I think … is time to begin. 5. What is …? 6. … is wonderful music in this film. 7. Our class went to a concert. … was a success. 8. … is a swimming pool near my house, but … is no water in it. 9. … is a student from Greece in our group. 10. … were a lot of rains last autumn. 11. What is … you wanted to tell me? 12. Since … was nothing much to see, we left. 13. Where … is life, … is hope. 14. … no use telling him the truth. … is nothing to him. 15. … is important to keep in mind that … is left-side traffic in Britain. 16. Is … any news? 17. Is … enough food in the house? – … is enough to feed the whole group. 18. … is nothing like walking about the countryside when … is warm and … is sunshine and … isn’t a single cloud in the sky and … is someone to make you happy. 19. A long time ago … used to be a fortress on that hill. 20. … is nothing but the result of her nervous disorder. 21. … is nothing I can do to help you. 22. … is a medieval castle in the woods. … has existed since the 14^th century. 23. … comes my bus. … is number 16. 24. … is no time to waste. … is high time we take some steps. 25. … was here that we met Ethel. 26. “I like … when I’m alone”, she said. 27. Who is … on the platform? 28. Let … be so. 29. Let … always be sunshine. 30. … is no smoke without fire. 31. … never rains but … pours.

Exercise 56. Fill in the blanks with “there” or “it”:

1. ... was a lovely morning. 2. ... was absolute silence all over the house. 3. I’m fond of young Toby; ... is a great charm about the boy. 4. ... was Lucy who told me his address. 5. ... must be a mistake in what you have written. 6. Is ... anything interesting on the TV programme tonight? 7. They say ... is going to be windy tomorrow. 8. ... was a dense fog that day. 9. ... was very foggy that day. 10. ... was no necessity to do it yesterday. 11. ... was not necessary to do it yesterday. 12. ... was snowing heavily all day. 13. ... was heavy snow all day. 14. ... is no place like home. 15. … is hardly time to do the packing. 16. ... is all very well to say so, but is it so really? 17. ... is most unpleasant to have eight lessons a day. 18. ... is not known where he spent his early childhood. 19. ... is a time and place for everything. 20. ... was much to be said on both sides. 21. ... is not clear who is responsible. 22. ... is a long way from the house to the tram-stop. 23. ... is time to finish the work before we go. 24. … is no time to loiter.

Exercise 57. Fill in the blanks with “there” or “it”:

1. ... are about forty of us, sir. 2. ... is a big group, of about twenty. 3. ... was a new cushion on one of the settees. 4. ... was a cute cushion embroidered by my grandmother. 5. ... was not a tree in sight. 6. ... was a lonely place. 7. ... is a reason for everything. 8. ... is a very sound reason, Paul, you may leave now. 9. ... is a very sound excuse for my being late, Mary. Do forgive me! 10. ... is nothing new under the moon. 11. ... is as old as the world. 12. ... was raining cats and dogs on Monday but ... was still so much work to do in town. 13. ... is a long time since I saw such an interesting film. 14. – Is ... snowing outside? – ... is a lot of snow in the streets. 15. – ... is something you are hiding from me, I feel it. – ... is purely your fantasy, ... is nothing to hide, especially from you. 16. ... was an ordinary house, but in that ordinary house ... lived an extraordinary wizard. 17. According to modern standards ... is a big family. ... are four children in it. 18. ... are 450.000 words in the English language. ... is the richest language in the world. 19. … is a cat under the bed.

Exercise 58. Translate into English.

1. В этом журнале есть несколько интересных рассказов. 2. Много веков тому назад вокруг Сити была стена. 3. Важно узнать всё это. 4. Сколько гостей будет на обеде? 5. Времени осталось немного. 6. В этой группе мало студентов. 7. Весной здесь почти не бывает дождей. 8. В холодильнике есть масло, молоко, сыр, но нет мяса. 9. Если в магазине есть рыба, купи, пожалуйста. 10. На этой стороне улицы есть кинотеатр. 11. В семье много детей, и поэтому всегда много работы по дому. 12. В комнате были стол, два стула и диван, больше ничего не было. 13. Нет ничего лучше чашки крепкого кофе утром. 14. Сколько экзаменов будет зимой? 15. Сегодня по телевидению нет ничего интересного. 16. Спорить не о чем. 17. После собрания был концерт?

Exercise 59. Translate into English:

1. В семье есть другие дети? – Нет, я единственный ребенок. 2. Сколько человек в вашей группе? 3. На улице много народу. 4. В кувшине нет воды. 5. Это правда, не так ли? 6. В саду много цветов, особенно роз. 7. За вашей школой есть сад? – Да. 8. В вашем городе есть парки? – Да, но немного, два или три. 9. У вас в комнате два окна? 10. На столе около окна стоят часы. 11. В комнате много мусора. 12. На полке есть тетради? – Да, это мои тетради. 13. Что там на столе? – Там чайник и чашка. 14. Кто в соседней комнате? 15. Есть кто-нибудь в комнате 57? 16. Есть в вашей аудитории книжные шкафы? 17. На столе есть сахар, но мало. 18. На остановке сидит мрачный подросток. 19. В её лице было что-то знакомое.