Writeacher, Can you please check these sentences. I urgently need to know the difference in meaning among the various sentences.

1) She often makes herself pasta.
(= She often makes pasta for herself)
She often makes pasta herself.
(= She often makes pasta personally)
She often has lunch by herself.
She often has lunch on her own.
2)They are teaching themselves how to use the new computer. (Does it mean "They are learning how to use the new computer programme")
3) Her boyfriend himself wants to give her the good news (personally?)
4) Is it possible "Her boyfriend wants to give her the good news himself (? what it the meaning?)
5) I wash and dress and then I have breakfast. (I wash myself and dress myself is a mistake?)

1 answer

1) She often makes herself pasta.
(= She often makes pasta for herself)
She often makes pasta herself.
(= She often makes pasta personally)
She often has lunch by herself. = She often has lunch on her own.
Yes, all are correct.

2)They are teaching themselves how to use the new computer. (Does it mean "They are learning how to use the new computer programme")
I take this to mean they got a new computer and are learning how to use it and all the programs on it.

3) Her boyfriend himself wants to give her the good news (personally?)
That's pretty awkward. It's not incorrect, just not smooth. I'd delete "himself" and put "personally" at the end.

4) Is it possible "Her boyfriend wants to give her the good news himself (? what it the meaning?)
Yes, that's good. It means he doesn't want anyone else to give her the news.

5) I wash and dress and then I have breakfast. (I wash myself and dress myself is a mistake?)
You don't need "myself" anywhere in that sentence. The assumption is that you are taking care of yourself unless you name someone else. Example, I wash and dress my son, and then I have breakfast.