I vs Me
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.
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.
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.
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.
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"):
He told Tom and (I or me?) to get ready.
INCORRECT: He told I to get ready?
CORRECT: He told me to get ready?
Therefore, He told Michelle and me to get ready.
If Michelle and (I or me?) get married, we'll have two kids.
INCORRECT: If me get married?
CORRECT: If I get married?
Therefore, If Michelle and I get married, we'll have two kids.
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: Just between we?
CORRECT: Just between us?
Just between you and me, this is a bad idea.
Do not use a subject pronoun and object pronoun together.
CORRECT: He and I ("He and I are going to town.")
CORRECT: Him and me ("She told him and me the truth.")
INCORRECT: Him and I
INCORRECT: He and me