I or me?

on May 15, 2011, Updated Jul 20, 2020

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It’s your 5 Minute Grammar Lesson! Here’s a topic a friend suggested to me on Facebook:

When to use “I” and when to use “me.” These two words are often mixed up, usually at the end of a sentence. Here are the facts:

Use “I” as the subject (when you are doing the action).
Use “me” as the object (when you are receiving the action)

Here’s something you might hear:

Polly went shopping with Vikki and I. – Sounds formal, right? Must be correct. Well, it’s not. “I” shouldn’t be used because it isn’t the subject of the sentence, Polly is. “Me” should be used because it is the object – it is receiving the action.

Confused? Here’s an easy check. Simply delete the extra information and see if the sentence still makes sense.

Polly went shopping with I. That doesn’t make any sense. So, the correct version is:

Polly went shopping with Vikki and me. Even though it sounds less formal, it’s right.

Make sense? 🙂

Do you have a topic you would like me to address? I’d love to know. Comment on my Facebook page, send me an email, or leave a comment here on the blog. I’ll add it to the list!

Enjoy your Sunday!