Writing 101: You and I

When you and I talk about grammar, it confuses things for you and me. When do you use which, and how do you tell the difference?

Me and I

In order to know when to use I and when to choose me instead, you've got to know the difference between the two. They're both pronouns, but they're different types of pronouns. You see, I is a subject pronoun. Me is an object pronoun. So...what the heck does that mean?

When you are talking about yourself, you say I, as in I am writing today. You wouldn't say Me am writing today or me writing today. But you would say Don't you see me writing? instead of Don't you see I writing?

So what's the difference there? The difference is in the subject. In the first example, I is the one who is writing. I is the subject, because writing is your action. But in the second example, you is the subject because you is seeing something. What are they seeing? They're seeing me, because me is the object. That is, essentially, the difference between I and me.

Let's look at another example. You and I read books. Books frighten you and me. 

In the first sentence, you and I are the subject. We're reading, that's the action, books -- that's the object. In the second sentence, books are the subject because they are frightening, that's an action. What are they frightening? The objects: you and me.

Know the difference between the two, and you'll get it right every single time.

[+/-] Show Full Post...

[+/-]Hide Full Post...