What are three things you do to push yourself to improve your English skills? Do you do these by yourself or with friends/classmates? Explain.

Looking for a job today isn’t easy, but the first step is staying motivated. Remind yourself that every application is an opportunity, not just another rejection waiting to happen. When you feel discouraged, tell yourself, “I can do this,” and push yourself to keep going.

Preparation is where confidence grows. Write your résumé on your own, practice answering questions out loud, and introduce yourself clearly. Some people even record themselves speaking so they can hear what to improve. And little by little, you prepare yourself for success.

Then, during the interview, look at the interviewer in the eye and show you’re ready to contribute. If you make a mistake, don’t beat yourself up. Just correct it and move on.

And when you finally land a job, celebrate your effort. Share the news with friends and family and say, “I worked hard for this.” In the end, believing in yourself, preparing carefully, and showing confidence will open the door to opportunities.

We use reflexive pronouns when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same person or group. These pronouns end in -self (for one person) or -selves (for more than one person). They reflect the action back to the subject.

Reflexive pronouns:

• myself (I)
• yourself (you – singular)
• himself (he)
• herself (she)
• itself (it)
• ourselves (we)
• yourselves (you – plural)
• themselves (they)

Use them to show:

• Someone does something without help:
  ➤ “She made the cake herself.”
• An action affects the same person:
  ➤ “He hurt himself playing soccer.”
• Emphasis:
  ➤ “I’ll fix it myself.”

Examples:

• “I introduced myself to the class.”
• “He taught himself to play the guitar.”
• “The kids dressed themselves this morning.”
• “Be proud of yourself!”

Reflexive pronouns are important in daily communication, especially when talking about personal habits, actions you do alone, or when offering encouragement or support. They help express effort, independence, and emotions clearly.

Why it’s useful:

• It shows who is doing and receiving the action.
• Helps distinguish between similar-sounding phrases like “He helped him” vs. “He helped himself.”

Real-life speaking situations:

• Talking about routines:
  
  • “I get ready by myself every morning.”
• Describing past events:
  
  • “He hurt himself skiing last weekend.”
• Offering support or advice:
  
  • “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
  • “Please help yourself to some food.”
• Explaining teamwork:
  
  • “We completed the project ourselves.”

Now, practice your language skills with this interactive game.

Use reflexive pronouns like “myself,” “yourself,” and “themselves” when talking about doing something alone or to express effort or emotion. Listen to your classmates’ answers and ask follow-up questions like “Did you enjoy it?” or “Was it difficult?”

1. Describe Your Morning:
   
   • What do you do by yourself every morning?
     ➤ For example: “I make breakfast myself.”
     ➤ For example: “I drive to work myself.”
2. Talk About Learning:
   
   • What is something you learned by yourself?
     ➤ For example: “I taught myself to play the piano.”
3. Helping or Hurting:
   
   • Have you ever hurt yourself or helped yourself in a situation?
     ➤ For example: “I cut myself while cooking the other day. It hurt.”
4. Group Actions:
   
   • What did your group do by yourselves in class or at home?
     ➤ For example: “After the school activity, we cleaned the room ourselves.”
5. Encouragement or Advice:
   
   • What do you say when someone is sad or tired?
     ➤ For example: “Take care of yourself!”
     ➤ For example: “Be proud of yourself! You’ve made great progress in your English.”