edited 6/9/09
Because English speakers employing informal vulgar usage will say,
"Me and Joe went to the ballgame"
and may be corrected to the more formal usage,
"Joe and I went to the ballgame"
many people to jump to the false conclusion that "I" is always a more correct substitution for "me", and, by way of parallel, "he" for "him," "she" for "her" and "they" for "them. "
Thus it is we encounter the following: (Shown with their grammatically correct alternatives):
|
|
|
| between you and I | between you and me |
| a gift for you and he | a gift for you and him |
| That is John and I's plan. | That is John's and my plan. |
| I met John and she earlier. | I met John and her earlier. |
Consider the functions of case indicated in the following chart
Case Chart |
Noun and Pronoun Forms |
| Subject of Sentence | John, I, you, he, she, it, we, they |
| Object of Verb or Preposition | John, me, you, him, her, it, us, them |
| Possessive Adjectivals | John's, my, your, his, her, its, our, their |
| Possessive Pronominals | John's, mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs |
Even if one does not understand when to use these distinctions, a simple test helps: break up any one of the wrong examples given above at the word "and". For example, out of "a gift for you and he" generate two sentences
a. a gift for you and b. a gift for he.
Form a. is correct, since you doesn't change with case, but b. clearly needs to use him. A native English ear can tell this.
In similar manner, decompose John and I's plan into
a. John plan and b. I's plan.
These clearly need to be John's plan, and my plan.
RESIST such neologisms as "between you and I." They are instances of inconsistent usage and indicate little more than a sense of inferiority coupled with presumptuousness or ignorance.
(If you really believe that the inconsistency doesn't or shouldn't matter, then be an innovator! Practice what you preach and, in your conversation and writing, throw away all pronoun forms except the subject pronouns. See what the response is from other people. They will most likely "correct" you.)
Exercise: Correct the case errors in the following:
1. The book was written by my advisor and I.
2. Sam and we's books were stolen.
3. That's something that will remain between he and she.
4. We helped Sam and he find a new car.
5. Thank you for allowing Carole and I to finish up late.
6. They hope that Sam and I can come visit Sharon and they on another occasion.