Christoph: Started article

2006-01-12T15:42:47Z

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Mistakes made with the two English pronouns '''I ''vs.'' Me''' are very common. This article will attempt to make the difference between these very simple with examples.

== "I" ==

'''I''' is the ''first person singular subject pronoun'', which means that it refers to the person performing the action of a ''verb''.

<div style="margin: 10px; padding: 5px; border: 2px solid #C1D788; background-color:#F1F6E4;">
'''I''' want to go.

This is the one '''I''' like.

'''You''' and '''I''' need to get ready.

'''Michelle''' and '''I''' are going to the beach.
</div>

Note: "we" (plural) is equivalent to "I" (singular).

== "Me" ==

'''Me''' is an ''object pronoun'', which means that it refers to the person that the action of a ''verb'' is being done to, or to which a ''preposition'' refers.

<div style="margin: 10px; padding: 5px; border: 2px solid #C1D788; background-color:#F1F6E4;">
'''Michelle''' told '''me''' to leave.

'''She''' gave '''me''' ten dollars.

Between '''you''' and '''me''', this is a bad idea.

She needs to talk to '''Robin''' or '''me'''.
</div>

Note: "us" (plural) is equivalent to "me" (singular).

== Examples ==

This confusion usually occurs when you have '''I/me''' connected to another ''pronoun'' or name with "and" or "or." I believe that the confusion begins when someone says something like "Michelle and me are ready" and that is corrected to "Michelle and I are ready". The speaker then thinks, "Oh, the word 'and' means that I should always use I." This is not the case. "And" has nothing to do with it; the reason you say "Michelle and I" in that sentence is that "Michelle and I" are the subject. If they were the ''object'', you would use me: "He told Michelle and me to get ready."

If you are not good with grammar concepts like ''subjects'' and ''objects'', there is still a very easy way to decide whether to use I or me: try out the sentence with just I or me (or if you need a plural, we or us—"we" is equivalent to "I" and "us" is equivalent to "me"):

<div style="margin: 10px; padding: 5px; border: 2px solid #C1D788; background-color:#F1F6E4;">
He told Tom and (''I or me?'') to get ready.

INCORRECT: <font color="red">He told I to get ready?</font>

CORRECT: <font color="green">He told me to get ready?</font>

Therefore, He told '''Michelle''' and '''me''' to get ready.
</div>
<div style="margin: 10px; padding: 5px; border: 2px solid #C1D788; background-color:#F1F6E4;">
If Michelle and (''I or me?'') get married, we'll have two kids.

INCORRECT: <font color="red">If me get married?</font>

CORRECT: <font color="green">If I get married?</font>

Therefore, If '''Michelle''' and '''I''' get married, we'll have two kids.
</div>
<div style="margin: 10px; padding: 5px; border: 2px solid #C1D788; background-color:#F1F6E4;">
Just between you and (''I or me?''), this is a bad idea.

Because "between" needs to be followed by a plural, we'll use "we" and "us" to figure this out.

INCORRECT: <font color="red">Just between we?</font>

CORRECT: <font color="green">Just between us?</font>

Just between '''you''' and '''me''', this is a bad idea.
</div>

Do <u>not</u> use a ''subject pronoun'' and ''object pronoun'' together.

<div style="margin: 10px; padding: 5px; border: 2px solid #C1D788; background-color:#F1F6E4;">
CORRECT: <font color="green">'''He''' and '''I'''</font> ("'''He''' and '''I''' are going to town.")

CORRECT: <font color="green">'''Him''' and '''me'''</font> ("She told '''him''' and '''me''' the truth.")

INCORRECT: <font color="red">'''Him''' and '''I'''</font>

INCORRECT: <font color="red">'''He''' and '''me'''</font>
</div>

[[Category:Linguistics]]

I vs Me - Revision history

Christoph: Started article