Skip to main content

I vs. Me

Improper use of "I" and "me" seems to be a staple of reality TV. So I'm writing this post to help people understand how to use these pronouns. My hope is that I won't hear this very common mistake quite so frequently. Simply stated, "I" is used when it is the subject of the sentence or renames the subject; "me" is used when it is the object.


In the example below, Sawyer and I/me are acting as the subjects of the sentence.

Sawyer and (I or me) have been married for three years.
(Tip: Cut out "Sawyer and" and see which pronoun sounds right)
Correct Answer: I


In this example, "she" is the subject because "she" is doing the asking. Lisa and I/me are acting as the objects.

She asked Lisa and (I or me) to be bridesmaids at her wedding.
Correct Answer: me

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Whole Nother

"A whole nother" is a commonly used phrase. It is a habit that people don't even realize they are doing. The following is an example of the phrase being used in a sentence: She is living in a whole nother world. "Nother" is not a word. To correct this error, you could use "another," "a whole other," "a completely different," "an entirely different," etc. Correct sentences: She is living in an entirely different world. She is living in another world.

Lie vs. Lay

The proper use of "lie" and "lay"   is tough for English speakers to grasp. We get it wrong all of the time. We use forms of "lie" when we mean "lay" and forms of "lay" when we mean "lie." Lie: "to assume a horizontal position on a supporting surface" or to tell a lie. Lay: "to place on a surface." What does it mean to "conjugate?" "To give the different forms of a verb." Let's conjugate "lie" and "lay" so we can understand what form to use when speaking or writing. Conjugation of "lie:" Present                 Past (to take a horizontal position/to tell a lie) (I) lie                                lay/lied (You) lie                          lay/lied (He/She) lies                   lay/lied (We) lie           ...

To Wander vs. To Wonder

Wander: go about from place to place aimlessly; talk or think incoherently (The Oxford Pocket American Dictionary of Current English. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2000: p. 919). Example: She wandered the streets of New York with no particular destination in mind. Wonder: desire or be curious to know; to be filled with wonder or great surprise (The Oxford Pocket American Dictionary of Current English. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2000: p. 937). Example: I wonder who is responsible for the recent crimes committed downtown.