Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.
Let the boys clean the room ___ .

• A. them
• B. himself
• C. their
• D. theirs
• E. themselves

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

themselves

When the subject and the object of the verb is the same person or thing, we use a reflexive pronoun. When reflexive pronouns are used to put emphasis on a particular noun, they are called emphatic pronouns.

In the given sentence the subject and the object of the verb is 'the boys'. So a reflexive pronoun must be used.

'Them', 'Their', 'Theirs' are not reflexive pronouns. We can thus eliminate options A,C and D as incorrect answers.

'Themselves' is the reflexive pronoun for third person plural. As the noun in the given sentence is a plural one, option E is the correct answer.

The reflexive pronoun for singular third person is 'himself','herself' or 'itself' according to the gender of the noun. Thus option B is incorrect.