When Do I Use "I" And "ME"?

by Heather R. Todd

It is interesting that many people around the world - whether their first language is English or not - still battle to know when to use "I" and when to use "Me" in a sentence. These two are very different types of words, yet they are often assigned to do the same task. When this is done the grammar of the sentence is incorrect and the sentence may sound clumsy or nonsensical. As writers / editors / academics or just ordinary users of the English language, it is therefore very important to understand the difference between "I" and "Me".

So, when do I use "I" and "Me"?

To answer that question, we need to take one step back. What type of word is "I" and what type of word is "Me"?

When you use "I", you are using the singular first person subject pronoun, e.g. You and I are going out tonight, I need some books, I take tablets for my condition etc. "I" is therefore the person involved in doing the action.

"Me", on the other hand, is object pronoun. This means that whatever action the verb is describing, it is BEING DONE TO "me", e.g. Take me home, Those things belong to me, She wants to talk to you and me.

When you have to decide whether or not to use either "I" or "Me", there is a simple test to follow. Take the sentence and see how "I" or "Me" fits into it e.g:

• She wants to talk to (Me / I) - She wants to talk to I (Wrong)

She wants to talk to me (Right)

• This house belongs to you and (Me / I) - This house belongs to you and I (wrong)

This house belongs to you and me (right)

• John and (Me / I) are going away - John and I are going away (Right)

John and me are going away (wrong)

When this method doesn't work, ask yourself the following question? Who is part of the action - I or Me?

John and I kick the ball - Here "I" is the one doing the action - the subject and therefore this sentence is correct.

They are looking at you and me - "Me" in the context is the one the action is being done to - the object and therefore this sentence is also correct.

As soon as you use a subject pronoun in the place of an object pronoun you are in dangerous waters. It will make your sentence seen "off" and clumsy, but also confuse your reader. The main questions are therefore:

1. Who is doing the action?

2. Who is the object of the action / who is the action being done to?

It becomes easier to distinguish as you practice with these and other, more complex, sentences. Test each sentence and ask the two main questions and they will give you guidance on then to you "I" and when to use "Me".

Lastly, it is important to remember that the words "or" and "and" have nothing to do with determining the use of "I" and "Me". They are merely there to join either the subject (e.g. John) with the object (me) or the other subject (I), e.g:

1. The threw stones and John and me

2. John and I had a pleasant walk

3. It was either John or me who washed the dishes

4. Tonight you or I are going to bath first

At the end of the day it just takes a little concentration to be able to answer the question: When do I use "I" and "Me"?

Ms. Todd is an award-winning, full-time professional editor, published writer and marketing consultant whose passion is to help others create a letter-perfect presentation in their writing. Her extensive experience in coaching and management has allowed her to independently consult for numerous international editing services and websites.

Ms. Todd is an independent contractor who provides advisory and consulting services worldwide to numerous corporations, a small sampling of such businesses include:
www.firstediting.com