by oneself，for oneself，in oneself，of oneself

這四個詞組的意義有所不同。

By oneself的意思是“單獨地”、“靠自己地”( alone or independently)。例：

His father lives by himself in the village.

他的父親獨自一個人住在村里。

All his friends have deserted him and he is all by himself now.

他所有的朋友都離棄他，現在他孤獨一人。

For oneself的意義為“為自己”(for himself or for herself)。例：

One should not live only for oneself.

人不應單為自己而活。

In oneself的意思是“就其本身或本性而言”。例：

This wood is hard in itself.

這種木頭本要就是硬的。

Of oneself的意思是“自然地”、“自發地”、“自動地”(of one’s own accord)。例：

Every day I awake of myself at half past five.

每天早上我都是五點半就自己醒來。

The door opened of itself.

門是自己開的。

The fire went out of itself.

火自己熄滅了。

與上列四個短語相類似的還有兩個詞組，即beside oneself和 to oneself，前者義：“失常”、“發狂”;后者是“獨自占有或享用”。例：

He was beside himself with joy.

他欣喜若狂。

When one dines in a restaurant，one likes a table to oneself.

人們在飯店吃飯時，總是喜歡獨占一桌。

Oneself和 one’s self的區別也是值得我們注意的。Oneself是反身強調代詞，意指自己;one’s self則是代詞加名詞，意指個人的本性。它們的區別如同myself和my self;yourself和your self ;himself和his self;ourselves 和our selves ;themselves和their selves一樣。例：

She made a cup of tea for herself.

她為自己燒了一杯茶。

She looked just like her old self.

她看上去和從前依然一模一樣。

請注意，myself可以在句中表示me的涵義，這是其他反身代詞所沒有的特性。例：

They invited my father and myself(=me)to their party.

他們邀請我父親和我參加他們的聚會。

He saw neither myself nor Mary in the street.

在馬路上他既沒有看見我，也沒有看見瑪麗。