Tea Party for a Threesome

Me, myself and I. Or is it myself, me and I?

I remember a children’s rhyme about the questionable “threesome”:

I had a little Tea Party

This afternoon at three;

‘Twas very small -

Three guests in all:

Just I, Myself and Me.

Myself ate up the sandwiches;

I drank up the tea;

‘Twas also I who ate the pie,

And passed the cake to me. (J.N. North)

Unfortunately, many people confuse these three pronouns and use them incorrectly – which is such a shame when there’s an easy way to remember which to use when. The misuse crosses generational lines, educational levels, professional divisions.

I’ve heard ministers, politicians, lawyers, doctors and talk show hosts getting the words mixed up.

Here’s an example of something that is wrong: “They brought that back for Jane and I.” This should have been “They brought that back for Jane and me.”

If you don’t remember the actual rules about objects and subjects, just try this easy step: imagine saying the phrase without the other person. In the above example, try saying the sentence without Jane. “They brought that back for I.” No, that is obviously wrong. It should be “They brought that back for me.” If the correct word is “me” without the other person, it’s also “me” with the other person.

I have a friend who frequently beings sentences with “Me and her went . . .” or “Me and her saw that movie . . .” Ugh! This just grates on my nerves!

Yes, it could be worse. He could say “Me and her seen that movie . . .”




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