In this sentence
People have been telling themselves the story of Snow White for centuries.
Is themselves reflexive or intensive. I am thinking intensive because you do not need it for the sentence to make sense?
2 answers
That word should either be immediately after "People" (therefore intensive) or should be removed. It is not needed in this sentence.
No, it's reflexive. Without "themselves," the reader would assume that people have told others this story. In addition, "themselves" in this sentence is an indirect object and does not emphasize the subject.
http://www.mcwdn.org/grammar/prorevlexin.html
http://www.mcwdn.org/grammar/prorevlexin.html
1 answer