PenPal says…
I or me? How do we know which one to use? I often see the pronouns “I” and “me” used incorrectly in print, and I also hear the same errors in casual conversation. Examples:
1. Mary sent a birthday invitation to both you and I.
2. Joel and me decided to drive to the party.
Most computer grammar checks will pick this up, so if you see a wavy line under the word “I” or “me,” pay close attention. If you’re writing with pen and paper, try this: take out the “extra” words (both you and—sentence 1; Joe and—sentence 2), and listen to what sounds right:
Incorrect: Mary sent a birthday invitation to I.
Correct: Mary sent an invitation to me.
Incorrect: Me decided to drive to the party.
Correct: I decided to drive to the party.
Rule:
“I” is the subjective case (subject of the sentence – the who or what the sentence is about). “Me” is the objective case (object of the action / thought carried by the verb in the sentence).
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Cathy Kodra a/k/a PenPal
Cathy Kodra works as an independent editor in Knoxville, TN. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Roanoke Review, New Millennium Writings, Common Ground Review, Now & Then, Cavalier Literary Couture, Slow Trains, Still Crazy, The Medulla Review, Prime Mincer, Yemassee, and others. She is a contributing editor for New Millennium Writings and past guest poetry editor for The Medulla Review. She was first runner up in Prime Mincer’s 2011 Poetry Contest, judged by Rodney Jones, and took first place in the 2012 Old Gray Cemetery Poetry Contest. Cathy’s first poetry chapbook, Thin Ice, was published in 2011 by Medulla Publishing.
Cathy is a member of the Knoxville Writers’ Guild and of two local writing groups. An avid reader and writer, she is currently working on two poetry collections and a collection of short stories. Her hobbies include gardening and vegan cooking, and she lives happily with her husband Ron, two dogs, and a cat.
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