Grammar Gaffe: I and Me

One of the grammar gaffes committed most often is the incorrect use of the first-person pronouns: “I” and “me” when used with another pronoun or a proper noun. (e.g., you and I, Frank and me, etc.)

My mother taught me the easiest way to remember which pronoun to use. Just remove the other pronoun so you’re left with either “I” or “me,” and you will usually know which sounds correct.

For example, is it “Me and you went to the store,” or “You and I went to the store”? Just take out “you,” and you know that “I went to the store” is correct, not “Me went to the store.” So, “You and I went to the store is correct.”

What about “He gave the money to you and I,” or “He gave the money to you and me”? Of course it’s “He gave the money to you and me,” because you wouldn’t say, “He gave the money to I.”

Other easy ways to remember which is correct (there are always exceptions to these first two rules):

• If the pronoun comes before a verb, it's usually "I" (Sallie and I went to the theatre, he and I cooked dinner, she and I are siblings)
  
• If the pronoun comes after a preposition, it's usually "me" (e.g., between you and me, with Lance and me, to him and me, from her and me, about Sallie and me, etc.
  
• If you can replace the pronouns with "us," it's "me" (e.g., It's about us – It's about you and me)
  
• If you can replace the pronouns (or pronoun and noun) with “we,” it’s “I” (e.g., We went to the store – You and I went to the store)

If you start to use these rules when you’re using the first person pronouns, then after a while the correct usage will sound right to your ear.

The following are examples of "I" and "me" used incorrectly and correctly (see if you can recognize why they are wrong or right):

Incorrect:

Will me and my brothers get to go to foster care? (Radio - girl interviewed in NPR story)

He’s joining Mercedes and Sam and I to go to prom. (TV - Glee)

I want Hannah and I to be at the end of this. (Overheard)

It means a new start for my husband and I. (Overheard)

It’s fine for your father and I to disagree (Movie – Midnight in Paris)

It’s about the connection between Ashley and I. (TV - The Bachelorette)

Correct:

They’re owned by my sister and me (TV - Antiques Roadshow)

It’s so nice to spend time – just you and me. (commercial)

I hope you’re not doing this because of you and me. (TV - Big Bang Theory)

This isn’t between you and me. (Grimm)

I hope that this post is helpful to those of you who struggle with knowing when to use “I” and when to use “me.”

Just between you and me, I know you and I are on the same page.