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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Grammar - my sister and me    

Grammar - my sister and me



Zora
Canada

Grammar - my sister and me
 
Okay, I am having a discussion with a colleague and we have this sentence.

It actually reminded my sister and I of our hometown.

Now, he says it should be "my sister and me" and I say both options are correct BUT none of my grammar books explain objects and their variations very well. I seem to recall that you could use "I" as an object sometimes - it was a rhetorical way of speaking but I believe we used to be able to say things like that. Does it perhaps have to do with the collocation of the object in the middle of the sentence or is it because of the verb itself??? 

Now, if it �s both... I need to know why... and if not, well I already know why! LOL

And yes, it is Monday and I am a bit dense! Wink

21 Sep 2009      





ballycastle1
United Kingdom

Morning Zora,
 
I �ve never come across the �my sister and I � option as an object and would always have corrected a pupil who wrote/said this but I �ll watch this post with interest.  I �m learning all the time from this site!

21 Sep 2009     



Zora
Canada

I know Bally... but as I said, for some reason in school, I remember that there were special cases and you could say this in certain situations...but I am not sure if, perhaps, it �s just a rhetorical way of speaking... and if it �s correct in this sentence....

21 Sep 2009     



douglas
United States

It seems to me I  have heard something to this effect as well Linda, but I can �t pinpoint when and how (It could have been a student telling me it was allowed and me telling them "No way Jose").

 Here´s a related link (but it doesn´t really have the answer):
 
 
Douglas

21 Sep 2009     



Carla Horne
United States

Hi,

This is what I have always learned. The objective case will always take the objective "me," even if it is in the middle of the sentence. In conversation our speech is not perfect, so we might use the subjective, but we should not do it in writing.

Have a good day,

Carla

21 Sep 2009     



Nebal
Lebanon

Hello dear Zorita,
 
I �ve always had the doubt.
 
Now, I searched the net, and here what I found.

That depends on where you and your friend are in the sentence. In colloquial speech �me � is often used where standard grammar requires �I �, especially when someone else is mentioned too. Sometimes people use �I � instead of �me �, because they know �me � is sometimes wrong, but have not understood the principle. (Others resort to �myself �, which can sound rather pompous.)

    I am the subject of the sentence, but the object of the sentence is me.

If in doubt, take your friend out of the sentence.

    Me and my friend went to a party last night. [Wrong]
    I and my friend went to a party last night.

    My friend and me went to a party last night. [Wrong]
    My friend and I went to a party last night.

    The mayor has invited me and my husband.
    The mayor has invited I and my husband. [Wrong]

    The mayor has invited my husband and me.
    The mayor has invited my husband and I. [Wrong]

     
    What do u think, guys??
     
    Nebal
 
 

21 Sep 2009     



cheezels
New Zealand

http://www.uhv.edu/ac/student/writing/grammartip2007.06.12.htm

tricky tricky....
so using the theory above.. when you remove one pronoun from your sentence you can hear what it should be.
It actually reminded my sister and I of our hometown. (your sentence)
It actually reminded my sister of our hometown.
It actually reminded I of our hometown... (Nope, sounds awful)
It actually reminded ME of our hometown... (much better)

so...

It actually reminded my sister and me of our hometown.


21 Sep 2009     



joy2bill
Australia

Part of the problem is that many, many native speakers are under the impression that you must always use I when it follows and.
 
It is unfortunate that often rules are only half learnt and then people hear it so many times they think it must then be correct.
 
To me the use of I or me always depend on their place in the sentence. If it is a subject use I, if it is an object use me regardless of any extra words such as and.
 
I think many non-native speakers use English more correctly that native speakers at times.
Just my humble opinion.
 Cheers from Joy downunder
 
PS I am not getting at anyone, criticising or pointing the finger so please read my words without rancour.

21 Sep 2009     



Zora
Canada

Actually, I think the link Douglas provided explains quite perfectly where my Monday morning muddle came from! LOL

Thank you guys and especially to Douglas for providing the "why" as to my confusion!! Thumbs Up


21 Sep 2009     



millmo
France

IT �S SIMPLE!
 
No matter what the sentence...if you take the "other person" out of the sentence, then the sentence should still make sense, for example:
 
my sister and ME went to the cafe...take out "my sister" and the sentence does not make sense...ME WENT TO THE CAFE....
 
my sister and I went to the cafe...take out "my sister"  and the sentence does make sense...I WENT TO TH CAFE!
 
Hope that helps!

21 Sep 2009     



moravc
Czech Republic

I have read a book called "Aye-aye and I" by Gerald Durrel :-)      but I have also heard Simon+Garfunkel �s song: "Me and Julio Down by School Yard".  So, I suppose, the native speakers play with me and I as they like :-D

I would use "I" in most cases like this one - "I" IS A SUBJECT pronoun:
My father and I went  to the ZOO. Jake and I are good friends.
etc.
If the pronoun is AFTER VERB, then I would suggest to use ME - ME as an OBJECT pronoun:
See me and my brother on Saturday!        He hadn´t met me.
It reminded ME of your hometown. --- because it´s an OBJECT pronoun AFTER the verb...
It actually reminded my sister and me of our hometown. - ME is an object pronoun, after verb...

So to conclude - the place where the I or ME stands is VERY IMPORTANT - subject or object pronouns...
Subject pronoun I is usually at the beginning,
object pronoun ME is usually AFTER VERB in the middle / at the end of the sentence...
The "omitting rule" is the best way to find out if your sentence is right. Omit one pronoun and see...
It actually reminded my sister of our hometown.     It actually reminded me of our hometown.
Both ok, so this sentence is perfect too:
It actually reminded my sister and me of our hometown.



21 Sep 2009     

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