Or will talk about you and I?
The answer to this question lies in knowing the difference between the subject and object of a sentence.
A subject is the one taking action in a sentence and the object is the one serving as the target of the action.
I aimed the arrow at my enemy.
The arrow is the subject and my enemy is the object.
I threw water balloons at my children.
Balloons is/are the subject and children is the object.
So when deciding to end a sentence with "I" or "me," think:
if it’s in the subject position, you use “I” (the subject pronoun), but if it’s in the object position, you use “me” (the object pronoun).
Today's grammar quickie will talk about you and me.
“Me” is the right choice because it’s in the object position. You’re the target of the TALKING verb action.
I love you.
You love me.
I feel giddy.
You make me feel giddy.
I fell down the stairs.
You tripped me.
********
I, you and me are all pronouns.
Pronouns can be objects or subjects.
You can't say, "Me feel giddy."
You can't say, "Me fell down the stairs."
(well, unless you are Grover.)
(or Yoda.)
If you are NOT a Muppet, you must adhere to grammatical rules.
Me done now.
Stie's readers were so annoyed by this post, they threw water balloons at her and me. (correct, non-Muppet grammar)
Stie loves her canvas maps more than she loves you and me. (again--correct, non-Muppet grammar)
Not all "you and I" sentences are actually correct. Sometimes you are correct if you say "you and me."
16 comments:
Great grammar blog! But can you do a Muppet grammar blog on when to use who v. whom? Whom will explain the difference to you and I?
It's sad when your brother only stops by your blog to heckle.
I will do that post, but only if you wear a SuperGrover cape to work.
Great reminder. It can be especially easy to forget about the "me" and "I". Here's wishing you a beautiful and grammatically correct day!
Glad you liked my bow tutorial. Changed your life? Wow. :)
Great lesson. My dad (who was an English teacher) always said to eliminate the "you and" and then it would make it clear which it should be.
I think you should address "could have cared less" and "couldn't have cared less" next week. Or could of and could have.
Oh, there are so many. Thanks.
Stie's Readers were so enamored with Crystal's grammar lessons that they threw water balloons only at she.
Is that Muppet or correct grammer? I am not sure. Maybe that is next week's lesson?
P.S. I will try and figure out how to explain the giant bulletin board on my wall. It is pretty fabulous. I must dig through the archives and see if I photo-documented the process. That will help, no?
Excellent. Now clarify for me "well" and "good"...
"I am good"?
"I am well"?
"I did well"?
"I did good"?
It's all well and good.... but I'm so lost. :)
I know YOU,
And you know ME!
We are as different as the sun and the sea....
I know YOU,
and you know ME
And that's the way it is supposed to BE!
OXOX Jody
You sound my dad Crystal - thanks for the grrr - mrrr lesson :)
THANK YOU! I absolutely hate it that so many people think it's ALWAYS supposed to be "you and I." Ugh. I've had people correct me when I've said "you and me." So irritating!!
I always just think about how it would be if there is no "you."
"I am going to the store," so when you add the you it's "You and I are going to the store."
"That present is for me." So when you add the you, it's "That present is for you and me."
More people need to know these things. Good job helping to get the word out there. LOL
That was confusing for a person who's worst subject was English and grammar (give me math and science any day). But I've always done what Karey's Dad suggests and eliminate the "you and..." to figure out which pronoun to use.
Michelle & Karey: it's true, I admit--that was a twisty explanation & probably only interesting to other grammarphiles like myself. I'll do another post next week in the format in which I taught grammar to middle school students....much more easily absorbed.
For the record, my dad emailed a response to me as follows:
"Yes, but what if the object is a subordinate phrase or the verb is intransitive? Is it: You are more beautiful than me? Or is it: You are more beautiful than I? Hint: the latter. Does on say: It is me? Or: It is I? Hint: the latter."
It's genetic.
Only he's smarter.
could you do further and farther? or better yet apostrophes? the could have/of would be a good one too.
I actually love grammar. Love this post - especially the part about Grover and Yoda.
I know I have grammar issues, so I fear my blog is painful for you. After the million and one English I took at BYU I really should be great at it, but I'm not.
I think it's hilarious that Cookie Monster guessed "rump roast".
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