Are you getting tripped up by the choice between using 'You and I' vs 'You and Me'? If so, you're not alone. Don't worry, though; by the end of this article, you'll be totally clear on when to use each one.
In short, use' you and I' as the subject of a sentence and 'you and me' as the object.
In order to truly grasp the difference between 'you and I' and 'you and me,' a quick review of pronouns is necessary.
'You,' 'I,' and 'me' are all pronouns.
But there are different types of pronouns.
You've got subject pronouns:
Then you've got object pronouns:
Then you've got those pronouns that stay the same no matter what:
'I' and 'me' are both first-person singular pronouns, so they refer to the same person: the speaker or writer. But the sentence should read 'I' when the writer is the subject and 'me' when the writer's the object.
For example:
I woke up bright and early this morning.
My dog woke me up bright and early this morning.
'You' functions as both a subject and object pronoun, so the clue is with the 'I.' As we just saw, 'I' is a subject pronoun, so you can use 'you and I' when the two people are the subject of the sentence.
For example:
What do you think you and I should wear for the gala?
If you're unsure, try replacing it with the subject pronoun 'we.' If it makes sense, then 'you and I' is the correct choice.
For example:
What do you think we should wear for the gala?
'You' functions as both a subject and object pronoun, so the clue is with the 'me.' As we just saw, 'me' is an object pronoun, so you can use 'you and me' when the two people are the object of the sentence.
For example:
They are in awe of you and me.
If you're not sure, try replacing it with the subject pronoun' us.' If it makes sense, then 'you and me' is the correct choice.
For example:
They are in awe of us.
Notice how odd it sounds to say 'I and you'? Even 'me and you' doesn't sound quite as right as 'you and me.' That's because it's widely considered impolite to cite yourself first in a list of pronouns.
Always say 'I and you' or 'me and you.'
When combining different pronouns, you can follow the exact same rules outlined above. If the pronouns are the subject of the sentence, pick from the list of subject pronouns.
Some possible combinations are:
You and they
He and I
He and she
The same goes if the pronouns are the object; take your pick from the object pronouns to make different combinations.
Now we've clarified the correct usage of each pronoun combo, let's take a look at them used in sentences.
We should do this more often, just you and I.
You and I, we'll get through this.
Come on, Brian, you and I are old friends.
The kids have yogurt, but I got chocolate cake for you and me.
Just between you and me, she's been slacking a lot at work lately.
Look at this photo of you and me.
That concludes today's article on the difference between 'you and I' and 'you and me' and when to use which.
To summarize:
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