It is I, You, He, She It
When I was at Classical High, Miss MacDonald taught me the proper, or standard, English:
It is I
It is you
It is he, she it.
It is we
It is you
It is they.
The first person singular pronoun is “I” when it’s a subject and “me” when it’s an object. So why so much confusion these days?
I hear it at a golf match when I ask who is “away” and first to putt. The common answer I hear is “Me.” But no one would say, “Me am away.”
The proper use of “me ‘dictates the following:
“You will play the match with Mike and me, not Mike and I. In this case, just remove Jim if you might be confused.
It could not be “You can play the match with “I.”
Today I am still correct to say “It is “I” but the tide is turning to the “me’s”. It is me.
Now, how do I answer the phone?
Hi, is Ed there?
Do I respond “It is I?” Or, “It is me.” How about ….”Speaking.” Whew, that solves that problem with little embarrassment.
Dear Miss MacDonald, I apologize. Please don’t give me another bad mark.
Me am still recovering from my dangled participle.
Tags: Classical High School, English Grammar, English Teacher
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January 7, 2013 at 2:21 pm
THANKS – I LOVE THIS – IS THIS A NEW WAY OF BLOGGING – HOW DOES IT WORK – HAPPY NEW YEAR
CECILIA HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY UN ABBRACCIO E BACI BE YOU – BE FABULOUS…WORDS FROM A VERY WISE AND CONFIDENT WOMAN – MISS PIGGY
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January 7, 2013 at 2:31 pm
Ed, I just thought of my sweet 2 year old great niece who turned to me and said out of the blue
ME LOVE YOU – NOW THAT WORKS FOR ME –
HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY UN ABBRACCIO E BACI BE YOU – BE FABULOUS…WORDS FROM A VERY WISE AND CONFIDENT WOMAN – MISS PIGGY
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January 7, 2013 at 4:19 pm
Me love you too, Gloria
January 7, 2013 at 2:50 pm
It’s one of my pet peeves – if only people would think about it a little!!
January 7, 2013 at 4:05 pm
Agree. Thanks Nancy
January 7, 2013 at 5:03 pm
Yeah!…there is hope out there…I thought that I was the only guy trying to use proper grammar.Isn’t it funny that I cringe when hearing announcers who slaughter the English language? Yet, how can I fault those poor students who were told by their teachers, “you don’t need to care about spelling” (FACT..this what I heard when substitute teaching in the 90’s), sohow much can they care about proper grammar?I guess the thinking was, is, “computer spell check” will be sufficient… Joe GiustoDate: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 05:30:21 +0000 To: jdgiusto777@hotmail.com
January 7, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Thank you, Joe. Have you read my second book?
January 7, 2013 at 10:56 pm
The other way around irks me, too. Example:
Who is this cake for? (now considered correct grammar)
It is for Ed and me. (not Ed and I)
Oh the grammar snobs that is we.
January 8, 2013 at 1:05 am
Ys, so true. But does it not make you cringe when you hear it. being a grammar snob can have its drawbacks. Too late to change now. How about this one I heard… “That bus been leavin’ too early.”
Yikes, I say!!
March 2, 2013 at 5:39 am
And I or thought the nuns were tough.
March 2, 2013 at 2:56 pm
They were, but so were the taskmasters at Classical. I trust you and family are well, Rick.