Answer:
The sentence that is correct is letter a) Ted and I cannot convince Steve to change, because he must first convince himself.
Explanation:
The sentences provided in the question are using reflexive pronouns. A reflexive pronoun, as its name suggests, reflects the action back to the subject. That means the object and the subject of a verb are the same. Compare the sentences below:
- I cut the tree. --> I, the subject, performed the action of cutting. The tree, the object, "received" the action of being cut.
- I cut myself. --> I, the subject, performed the action of cutting. I also received the action of being cut, so I am also the object.
Knowing that, we can easily choose letter a as the best option. Steve must convince himself --> Steve is performing the action of convincing, as well as receiving it. He is not convincing anyone else; Steve is convincing Steve.
Letter b is wrong because there is no need to use the pronoun "he" right before the pronoun "himself." Letter c is wrong because it is employing a reflexive pronoun (myself) where there is no need for it, since no action is reflecting back at "me".
