What is a reflexive pronoun in simple terms?

A mirror word. The action bounces back at whoever did it: I hurt myself, the cat cleaned itself. If your child can find who did the action, the matching -self word follows almost automatically.

Why does my child write "hisself"?

Because it follows the pattern of myself and herself perfectly, and some English dialects really do say it. Standard English uses himself and themselves, and those are the forms school writing expects. A few worksheets of exposure usually settles it.

2nd grade reflexive pronouns

2nd grade reflexive pronouns worksheets

Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves and bounce the action back to the doer: I dressed myself, the twins fed themselves. Second graders match the -self word to the subject: who did it decides which word fits.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.2.1.c.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of sentences you'll get

Circle the letter of the -self word that matches the doer.

The puppies tired out chasing leaves. themselves · theirselves · itself
Answer: themselves
Ravi quizzed before the spelling test. himself · hisself · yourself
The door swung shut by . themselves · himself · itself

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 2nd grade sheet

2nd grade sheets draw from 60 sentences, 8 to a page. All 60 are on 3rd grade sheets too, along with 20 more. 3rd grade sheets print 10 to a page.

A few of the sentences:

Mateo saw himself in the funhouse mirror.
Aunt Sana paddled the canoe herself.
The players warmed up by themselves.

Choose the word. Circle the letter of the -self word that matches the doer. 8 questions per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Start with the subject, always: circle who did it, then match the -self word to them. I goes with myself, she with herself, they with themselves. Acting helps here too; "point at yourself" is literally the grammar. Keep singular and plural sentences clearly separated at first so the -self/-selves split lands.

Watch for: Hisself and theirselves follow the pattern of myself and yourself, and some English dialects use them. Standard English, the kind these sheets practice, uses himself and themselves. One person takes -self, more than one takes -selves: herself, but ourselves.

Common questions about 2nd grade reflexive pronouns

What is a reflexive pronoun in simple terms?: A mirror word. The action bounces back at whoever did it: I hurt myself, the cat cleaned itself. If your child can find who did the action, the matching -self word follows almost automatically.
Why does my child write "hisself"?: Because it follows the pattern of myself and herself perfectly, and some English dialects really do say it. Standard English uses himself and themselves, and those are the forms school writing expects. A few worksheets of exposure usually settles it.

Related worksheets

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Aligned to Common Core L.2.1.c. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.

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