Works For Me: I vs. Me

Yesterday I wrote about containerizing Pop Tarts, and today I'm writing about proper grammar.  I'm not sure when I became the scary, nerdy librarian of the blogosphere, but evidently I have passed the point of no return.

Y'all know how I love good grammar, and there's a simple tip to avoid a common grammar pratfall (I have to use this one all the time). 

When you're writing or speaking about yourself and another person, it's easy to mix up the personal pronouns.  For example, "Janie and I" or "Janie and me".  Which one do you use?

Just take out the "Janie and", leaving you with only the personal pronoun.  The one that sounds the most natural is almost always the right one.  Here's an example:

Janie and me found a great bargain yesterday.

Take out "Janie and".  You're left with "me found a great bargain yesterday."  Unless you are a caveman (with impressive shopping skills), you know that sounds awkward.  So it should read

Janie and I found a great bargain yesterday.

Let's move it to the end of the sentence:

That fabulous sale was meant for Janie and I.

Again, take out "Janie and."   Would you say "That fabulous sale was meant for I"?  Of course not.  So the sentence should read

That fabulous sale was meant for Janie and me.

It's a quick little short-cut that works for me, all the time.  And it probably already works for many of you as well (really, I do not mean to insult the intelligence of my fellow grammar lovers--I know there are many of you, and I adore you to the very core of my conjunctive participle). 

Have a WFMW tip you'd like to share with the blogosphere?  Leave your link below.  Remember to look through the guidelines, especially if this is your first time to participate.  As always, thanks for playing along!

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Comments

[Overwhelmed With Joy!]

I know this tip and use it often! I'm not sure when I learned it but it sure works.

Thanks for the reminder. :)

[ellen b]

Thanks Shannon. Grammar has never been my strong suit...

[Carol @ I Throw Like A Girl]

As an English major, I really appreciate this!

[Christy]

Yep. I do that ALL the time. My husband laughs at me...but it works!

[Sarah (Real Life)]

Brilliant! I am a grammar enthusiast as well!

[Ronnica]

I do that a lot as well. It certainly helps!

[Teble]

Shannon, I just taught my seven year old that trick last weekend. I'm kind of a grammar nerd myself and I'm doing my part to raise the next generation of geeks.

[MamaGeek]

Thanks for the tip, but personally, I'm still giggling at your pop tart organization. Now THAT's just all sorts of funny. :)

[Vickie@PursuingSimplicity]

Thanks Shannon. Grammar was never my strong suit. It has been so long since I was in school it is helpful to be reminded of these things.

[Karen @ Simply A Musing Blog]

Loved the pop tarts in the bin, personally. It's totally something I would do. :)

Me wish me would have known that handy grammar rule earlier this year when me was trying to teach the proper use for Katie and I. :)

[Ornery's Wife]

That particular tip is one I knew, but could you tell me when to use affect and when to use effect? Or, lay and lie? I am so confused about those! I appreciate reading proper grammar, but sometimes I am in such a hurry that I forget the rule, and am too lazy or rushed to look it up.

Thanks for hosting this each week. I learn a lot of things, and it keeps me on my toes thinking of things to write about!
TM

[Dawn]

Good trick! I will have to remember that one. I know another that helps me. The difference between there and their. Most people probably have the difference memorized now, but when I was in school I mixed them up. I just remembered that the one with an "i" in it had to do with people, b/c I use the letter "i" to describe a person, namely, myself. It may sound strange, but it worked for me! ;-D

[Angie]

I was just giving my husband this tip a few weeks ago! :) It's a very handy little trick to know.

[Beth @ The Natural Mommy]

Oh. My. Goodness - THANK YOU.

(Not that I needed this tip.)

(I actually already wrote a post about this ages ago.)

(But as I do not have the readership you do, hopefully your message will reach more people.)

BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THIS!

[Devildogwife]

I use that one myself and have taught it to my daughter.

[Rhen (yestheyareallmine)]

I use that trick a lot and have taught my children to do the same. I find myself correcting family, friends and even strangers when they use incorrect grammer. Not everyone is all that thankful for it. LOL

[Tina in Thailand]

The grammar oops that drives me crazy is your/you're. I see it wrong all the time! Even on billboards, of course in very large print, shouting out that someone did not check their work.

[Smockity Frocks]

Thank you, Shannon. I've taught this to my kids as well. I also tell them to put others first, as in "Janie and me" not "me and Janie".

[LeeAnn]

I just learned this trick last month- after 38 years of confusion over this very question!

Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us (sometimes) grammatically challenged readers...

[Melanie]

This has always been a pet peeve of mine. I especially hate it when someone is trying soooo hard to sound proper and then they say something like "The pizza arrived for Bob and I."

[Megan]

I wrote it that way CORRECTLY in a story once that got put on the World Mag blog and there were several who left comments on my improper grammar. As if. Now if they had issues with my spelling, I could not complain. This is why I'm married to an editor...

[Daiquiri]

Great tip! I heard this one in high school, and it's one of those things that really stuck with I...I mean me ;) he he

[momrn2]

Our family was just talking about this rule last week. Glad to hear you confirmed it as I vaguely remembered the rule to be!! Thanks for your support! :-)

[PollyS]

I learned this trick in 7th grade and my life has never been the same. As a matter of fact, my husband and I had a heated discussion about the proper use of "I" just yesterday. And guess what? My 7th grade English teacher won! I wish you could broadcast this message on CNN, FoxNews, Yahoo...anyone that could listen. This is my grammatical pet peeve.

[Tamara Cosby]

Thank you for sponsoring this, it is so much fun!