There is often confusion when trying to write about what more than one person has done or is going to do. This is because the rules for subject and personal pronouns can be confusing for new writers. Writers often make mistakes when thinking about if they should say “name and me” or “name and I” in their sentences. Lucky for you this post will teach you the correct answer.
Always using the right words? Make sure:
Check Your TextIs It Me and Name or Name and I?
It is grammatically correct to say Name and I. Well, first think if you normally say him and i or he and i? Remember, just like with the words in or within, spelling is very important. Let’s break this down a bit more.
- Name – Names are nouns.
- And – “And” is a conjunction
- Personal Pronoun – “Me” is a personal pronoun or a object pronoun. “Me” can also serve as a direct or indirect object to verbs.
- Subject Pronoun – “I” is a personal pronoun.
In the English language, there are many rules to follow when it comes to grammar and syntax.
However, one of the most important rules is also one of the simplest: whenever a noun and pronoun are joined by the conjunction “and” and used as the subject of a sentence, the pronoun should be in the nominative case.
This means you can’t use “me” because it is the objective case. Just like you can’t use how ever instead of however! Although you will commonly hear people mistakenly say “name and me” in casual conversation. I am not saying you need to be the grammar police! Just be sure to use proper grammar in your formal writing.
Correct English Grammar: Name and I
- Steve and I are going to the Elton John concert tonight.
Always Put Others First
One of the most basic tenants of good manners & proper sentence structure is to always put the other person first, and yourself last.
- For example, if you are talking about yourself and John, you should say “John and I went to the store,” not “Me and John went to the store.”
- “Mark and I played basketball together yesterday it was a great workout!”
What Are Nouns?
In the most basic sense, a noun is simply a person, place, or thing. However, there are a few different types of nouns that can be classified in different ways. Take Chris’ or Chris’s for example.
- Proper nouns – Specific people, places, other person’s name, or things (e.g., John, New York, and Christmas).
- Common nouns– More general (e.g., boy, city, and holiday).
- Collective nouns – Refer to groups of people or things (e.g., team and flock).
- Abstract nouns – Refer to intangible concepts (e.g., love and anger).
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What Are Pronouns?
Pronouns are those little words that we use to talk about someone without using their name. Just like the words her and I or she and I.
- Instead of saying “Karen is friendly,” we can say “She is friendly.”
Pronouns are used in place of a noun or a group of nouns. They can be used to refer to things, animals, or people. Pronouns are usually used when it is understood who or what we are talking about.
- Instead of saying “I saw the cat in the garden,” we can say “I saw it in the garden.” In this sentence, the pronoun “it” is used in place of the word “cat.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
The correct way to say it is “John and I.” It’s always best to use the subject-verb-object order in English, so “I and John” sounds a bit funny.
“Sally and I” is technically correct. The reason for this is that “I” is the subject of the sentence and “Sally” is the object. When you have a subject and object, the pronoun that refers to the sentence subject needs to be in first-person singular form.
Tom and I is technically correct, but most people say “me and Tom” because it’s simpler to say. But if you want to be more formal like professional writers, you should say “Tom and I”.
It depends on the sentence. If Bob and I are doing something together, then it would be Bob and me. If Bob is talking to someone else and I am standing there, then it would be Bob and I.
It depends on the context. Generally, it would be “my brother and I” when you are talking about both of you as individuals. For example, “My brother and I went to the store.” It would be “my brother and me” if you are saying something like, “My brother is taller than me.”
The Bottom Line
Now you know everything there is to know about when to use “I or me”. I certainly understand why writers make silly mistakes when writing first-person personal pronouns. But it’s worth the effort to learn the correct usage of these grammar rules to avoid making typos again and again! Try our paper checker free tool if you need some extra help! Let us know if you have any questions.
