Compound subjects and objects with ‘I’ and ‘me’
Key Notes:
Understanding Subjects and Objects
- Subject: The person or thing doing the action in a sentence. Example: I went to the park.
- Object: The person or thing receiving the action in a sentence. Example: He gave the book to me.
When to Use “I”
“I” is used when referring to oneself as part of a compound subject (the person performing the action).
Examples:
- My friend and I went to the movies.
- John and I are studying together.
Tip: Always place “I” last in a compound subject.
When to Use “Me”
“Me” is used when referring to oneself as part of a compound object (the person receiving the action).
Examples:
- The teacher gave the assignments to John and me.
- Can you help Sarah and me with our project?
Tip: Always place “me” last in a compound object.
Common Mistakes
- Using “I” instead of “me” in the object position. Example of a mistake: He gave the prize to John and I. Correct: He gave the prize to John and me.
- Using “me” in place of “I” in the subject position. Example of a mistake: Me and John went to the store. Correct: John and I went to the store.
How to Check
Remove the other subject/object and see if the sentence still makes sense.
- Example: Sarah and I went shopping. Remove “Sarah”: I went shopping (correct).
- Example: She gave the book to Sarah and me. Remove “Sarah”: She gave the book to me (correct).
Rule of Politeness
- Place “I” or “me” after the other person(s) mentioned in the sentence. It’s polite to mention others before yourself.
Let’s practice!🖊️
