LESSON 1.25

LESSON 1.28
Pronouns and Courtesy

    • If you split your candy bar with your friend, and the split is not exact, who receives the bigger half?
    • If an employee invites their boss to dinner, who is served first? 

The answers are obvious. They involve courtesy.

Grammar and Courtesy

About sixty percent of all grammar involves courtesy.  Putting yourself first is immature. One way we show courtesy is through pronoun use. I and me always go last.

Immature: These matching outfits are perfect for me and Maria.

Mature: These matching outfits are perfect for Maria and me.

Class Activity

Which of the following show courtesy?

      1. Me and Tom went fishing yesterday.
      2. That money belongs to Zelda and me.
      3. Did you bring the snapshot of me and the elephant?
      4. Which problems do me and Tisha have to do?
      5. Me and my dog are drowning!

Identifying the Guest

When there are nouns and pronouns together, think of the noun as the “guest.”

He and the workers are taking a lunch break.

If there are singulars and plurals together, then usually put the singular first.

He and the workers are taking a lunch break.

If there are two pronouns or nouns, it does not matter if a male or female goes first as long as one of the words isn’t I or me.

She and he have played basketball almost every evening for three years.
OR
He and she have played basketball almost every evening for three years.

NOTE: Putting a pronoun first usually sounds better, but having a noun first is also correct.

She and Aaron have not struck out in seven games.
OR
Aaron and she have played basketball almost every evening for three years.

NOT:
I and he have played basketball almost every evening for three years.
She and I have won every tournament me and him have entered.

CORRECT:
He and I have played basketball almost every evening for three years.
She and I have won every tournament he and I have entered.

Small Group Activity

Identify the guest in the following.  Don’t worry if the sentence has incorrect grammar.

      1. Jimmy and I tied for second place.
      2. Me and Bubba are at the zoo.
      3. Next Wednesday me and the contractors will survey the mansion.
      4. Her and Fred are honeymooning in Nairobi.
      5. The game puck went to me and Juanita.
      6. Me and my feet need to hit the road.

Delete the guest.  Sometimes you will have to change the verb from plural to singular.  You might have to make other slight changes as well, such as adding a determiner.

With guest: The match point goes to Vicky and me!

Deleted guest: The match point goes to me!

With guest: He and Alphie easily won the game.

Deleted guest: He easily won the game.

With guest: She and the swans are close friends.

Deleted guest: She is (a) close friend.

Small Group Activity

Delete the guest in the following.  Make other changes as necessary.

      1. Those three dogs and I don’t see eye-to-eye.
      2. She and Meredith are leaving for Vegas this afternoon.
      3. That bicycle is meant for Linda and me.
      4. She and Jennifer are distant cousins.
      5. Neither Suzie nor I have been able to get in touch with Andy and her.

Correcting Pronoun Errors

Once the guest goes away, you will be able to identify incorrect pronouns.

      1. The sentence without the guest must sound okay.
      2. I or me always goes last.
      3. Replace the guest.

Original: Me and a lizard shared a tent last night.

Guest: and a lizard

Guest goes away: Me shared a tent last night.

Corrected: I shared a tent last night

Replace the guest (with courtesy): The lizard and I shared a tent last night. 

Original: Her and Alfonzo will be in Ms. Trenton’s class.

Guest: and Alfonzo

Guest goes away: Her will be in Ms. Trenton’s class.

Corrected: She will be in Ms. Trenton’s class.

Replace the guest: She and Alfonzo will be in Ms. Trenton’s class.

Original: That bike belongs to my brother and I.

Guest:  and my brother

Guest goes away: That bike belongs to I.

Corrected: That bike belongs to me.

Replace the guest (with courtesy): That bike belongs to my brother and me.

Small Group Activity

Delete the guest and then correct any incorrect pronouns in the following.

    1. Him and Barry played poorly on Saturday.
    2. The park ranger and her have been dating since August.
    3. That song is perfect for Leon and I.
    4. Me and Sandra must be twins.
    5. Neither Bill nor I have a clue about what to wear for Halloween. 

Correcting Similar Errors

You can use the same process for other pronoun problems, such as –  

us or we

Original: Us cheerleaders are going to State!

Guest: cheerleaders

Delete guest: Us are going to State!

Correct pronoun problem: We are going to State!

Replace guest: We cheerleaders are going to State!

Review

Which of the following is correct?  How do you know?

Those doughnuts were meant for Tom and me.

Those doughnuts were meant for me and Tom.

Those doughnuts were meant for Tom and I.

Small Group Activity

Correct any errors in the following.

1.The violinists will play just for she and I.

2. Him and Sheila have won the competition.

3. The trophy went to me and the dancing turtles.

4. Him and Bobbi like to race she and I in swimming.

5. Us Christmas carolers were supposed to meet here.

Individual or Small Group Activity

Complete the Exercise:    Azores

    Canary Islands

Optional Activity