What Not to Buy and What Not to Say

I picked up my HP laptop.  The one my company initially advised would be provided, but then decided we had to purchase ourselves.  The one that has never worked since I bought it.  The one that is now supposedly repaired for the tenth time, but I cannot check to see if it is because the cord has been damaged due to the dysfunction of the machine which burned out the cord.  This cord is not under warranty. I guess I should count my blessings and be happy that the computer that has never worked is under warranty. Oh yes, the cord I need seems to be unavailable here as well . I am sure I will track one down soon. Or maybe just after the warranty expires, only to find that the computer really was not repaired at all.  Can you guess yet what it is that you should not buy?  I don't care any longer; I have a Mac.

I received a message from my company wishing us all a Happy Chinese New Year.  This message came from the assistant to the head honcho. She sent this message from "me and ...."  We are an English language provider! I just presented a grammar point last week for my mentees on this particular topic.  Not because they need it, but because I have heard many mentors speaking in this sloveny manner and wanted the mentees to not pick up that bad habit and teach it to the students.  I am now thinking I chose the wrong audience. What follows is the method to use, if you do not know the grammar rule for this one.  I am sure all my readers know the rule.  Well, maybe I should not be so sure.  Look who sent out the incorrect message to hundreds of e-mail recipients.

So, no it is not correct to say 'Emma and me went shopping' or "Me and Emma went shopping". Read on; this is what I taught at a class a few weeks ago.

When do you use "I" and when do you use "me"?

It is a common occurrence to hear the incorrect usage of "I" and "me". This is one of the simplest grammar corrections.

"I" is a pronoun that must be the subject of a verb.

"Me" is a pronoun that must be the object of the verb.

The easiest way to decipher the two is to remove the other noun from the sentence and see if it still makes sense.

"I" and "me" are both pronouns that we use to refer to ourselves. Use "I" when it is the subject of the verb, and use "me" when it is the object of the verb or follow a preposition (with me, after us, etc). Remember that "I" is always written as a capital letter.

People most often make mistakes using "I" and "me" when they are talking about more than one person. For example:

My husband and I are going on vacation to Hawaii. (correct)

My husband and me are going on vacation to Hawaii. (incorrect)

Linda, Janet and I are friends. (correct)

Linda, Janet and me are friends. (incorrect)

You and I are having a dinner tonight. (correct)

You and me are having a dinner tonight. (incorrect)

My parents took my brother, sister, and me to the zoo every year when we were growing up. (correct)

My parents took my brother, sister, and I to the zoo every year when we were growing up. (incorrect)

Note that we mention the other person(s) first. In the above sentences we can't say "I and my husband", "I, Linda and Janet", etc.

The easiest way to decide whether "I" or "me" is correct is to make the sentence using only "I" and see if it makes sense:

I am going on vacation to Hawaii. (correct)

Me am going on vacation to Hawaii. (incorrect)