Where To Use I And Me In English Grammar

When to Utilize I or Me in a Sentence

Whether you have spoken English your whole life or are simply commencement to larn the language, the historic period-old effect of "I vs. me" has confused students for equally long as anyone can call back. Function of the problem is that English has many words that can mean the same affair.

When to Use I or Me in a Sentence When to Utilize I or Me in a Sentence

"I" and "me" are both words y'all utilise when y'all're talking about yourself, but each i is used in a unlike state of affairs. Both are start-person personal pronouns that let you lot talk about yourself without using your name, which would feel quite bad-mannered in friendly, casual chat. "I" and "me" have the aforementioned definitions, merely they are in a different grammatical example.

The Difference Between "I" and "Me"

The primary difference betwixt "I" and "me" is but the type of pronoun each word is: "I" is a subject, or nominative, pronoun and "me" is an object pronoun.

I: The Discipline

"I" is a nominative pronoun, which means that it is used as the subject field of a sentence, or as a predicate nominative. For case:

I went to the store.

In this case, "I" is the subject area of the sentence - the person who performed the action of going to the shop. This sentence is correct considering information technology uses "I" as the subject.

Y'all besides employ "I" equally a predicate nominative after a "to be" verb. For instance:

Information technology is I who went to the shop.

In this instance, "I" comes after the verb "is" and is a the predicate nominative, or another proper noun for the subject of the sentence - in this instance, "it." This may sound unusual, because many people colloquially say, "It's me," simply using "I" in this style is grammatically correct and preferable in formal English.

Me: The Object

"Me" is an object pronoun, which ways that information technology serves every bit a straight or indirect object to the verb or as the object of a preposition. For example:

Mom hugged me.

In this judgement, "me" is the directly object of the verb "hugged" because information technology receives the action of hugging. This sentence is correct because it uses "me" equally the directly object.

Mom bought me a snack.

Too, this judgement uses "me" as an indirect object. These are oftentimes sandwiched between a verb and its direct object to indicate who is benefitting from the action.

Mom bought a snack for me.

In this sentence, "me" is the object of the preposition "for" and is also correctly used. Notation that this sentence conveys the aforementioned significant as the previous ane, but information technology's constructed a bit differently.

Errors in Usage

Beginners ofttimes confuse "I" and "me" because they mean the aforementioned matter, but even native speakers can struggle when at that place is more than one subject or object. Report the errors below then you can avoid making similar mistakes in your writing.

Jack and me got abode tardily.

In this sentence, there are two subjects "Jack and me," merely me is the objective case. As it'due south a field of study, the correct pronoun is "I." A good way to check is to remove the other people at the beginning of the sentence and re-read the sentence to encounter if it sounds correct ("Me got dwelling house late" does not!). Most people can find the right word by ear this way.

The puppy licked my sister and I.

Hither "I" is used as a straight object-the person receiving the licks but "me" is the right word to use every bit a direct object. Again, endeavour removing all other people after the verb except "I" and re-read the sentence to run across if it sounds right (again, "The puppy licked I" does not sound right).

The snobby daughter thinks she's above my family and I, but she's non.

This is another example of how multiple objects adds confusion. Here "I" is incorrectly used as the object of the preposition "in a higher place," but it should be "me."

It wasn't me.

This one trips upwardly a lot of people every bit it can't be checked by ear, like the examples above. Though this is a common colloquial phrase, it is not grammatically correct. In this sentence, "was" is a form of the verb to be that sets up a predicate nominative, so the writer should utilize "I," which is in the nominative case.

Suzy and me are best friends.

This is another example of an error because of a plural subject. "I" should be used because it'south the correct choice when it comes to subjects. It tin also be helpful to consider the position of the word in the sentence. "I" is used before the verb, while "me" is nearly always used afterward the verb (the exception existence the predicate nominative).

Correct Usage of I and Me in a Sentence

To get a sense of what excellent grammar looks like, peruse the examples beneath that testify when to use "I" or "me" in a sentence:

I went to the mall yesterday.
She and I don't always go forth, only we attempt.
The true cat scratched me when I tried to pet her.
Are all those presents really for me?
Will you please give me the rest of your ice cream cone?
It is non I you should blame.
I called Jason for help with my homework.
Give the recipe to Jim and me, and we'll cook you a succulent breakfast.
When volition I get my sunglasses back?
The boys and I want to take a holiday this summertime.

Make the Right Choice Betwixt I and Me

With a lilliputian exercise and some conscientious consideration about whether you are working with the subject or the object in a sentence, you tin ensure you brand the right pick between "I" and "me" every time. Though many people ignore the rules when speaking casually to friends and family unit, it'southward of import to be diligent about your usage when information technology comes to writing for an audience.