When is more appropriate to use I over Me when speaking about oneself? (grammatically speaking)?

Question

I've heard certain people saying I instead of me in certain cases. For instance they'll say "just like I" instead of Just like me" which is more grammatically correct?

Answer 1

Great question!

Either one is quite logical, actually.
I'll try to briefly summarize the arguments for you.

1. In favor of "just like I"
You might claim that this phrase is short for a longer phrase where I is the subject, such as "My brother has blue eyes, just like I (do)."
2. In favor of "just like me"
You could say that like is a preposition, and since other prepositions in English take "me" as objects, like should take
"me" as an object, too.

In reality, English speakers have been using both of these for a long time, so either one is acceptable.

There might be a few situations where there is actually a difference in meaning depending on whether you use I or me.
For example:
That man hates dogs just like me. (Could mean that he hates dogs, and he hates me in the same way.)
That man hates dogs just like I. (Could mean that he hates dogs, and I hate dogs also.)

But generally, people will know what you mean.
Personally, I'd go with "me".

Answer 2

In the case of "just like I" it's at least sometimes correct, but I really hate it when people use "I" instead of "me" in cases where the first person is definitely supposed to be in the objective form, like "for John and me".

The basic rule is that it is "I" only when the "I" can be constructed as the subject of a verb-phrase, like "... taller than I (am), everything else follows from there.
In Ireland most educated people use the "me" in ordinary speech/writing, even when it is grammatically incorrect, in order not to sound too pedantic.

Answer 3

Suspensa's answer is not always right.

"Just like I" can be correct or not depending on what you are wanting to say.

The bottom line is whether the first person pronoun is being used to give action, subjective (I) or to receive it, obective (me).

For example, let's say Jim fed the cat. You might then want to say that Jim not only fed the cat, but he also fed you. So both you and the cat are objects of Jim's action. You would say:

"Jim fed the cat, just like me."

Or...you might want to say the Jim fed the cat in the same manner that you would have fed the cat. So you would say:

"Jim fed the cat, just like I."

In the latter sentence, it is silently understood that you are actually saying, "Jim fed the cat, just like I (would have fed the cat). In that case, both you and Jim are acting as givers of an action, so the subjective pronoun is used.

So you can see that the use of the correct pronoun is not just for sounding nice and correct. It actually can change the intended meaning of the sentence dramatically. You need to use the correct words to be be sure you are communicating what you intend to.

Lloyd, who has worked as a professional copy editor.

Answer 4

"I' is the nominative case: it is used as the subject of a sentence as in "I am the very model of a modern major-general," or as a predicate nominative as in "It was I who found the stone." The predicate nominative generally follows forms of the verb "to be" or verbs such as "wish," as in "I wish I could go to the zoo."

Another difficulty arises in the "just like me" problem. If we are comparing the way in which someone does something to the way "I" do something we would use "I," as in "She speaks Spanish, just as I do." However if we compare appearance or another quality, we would say "She looks just like me."

Answer 5

I vs me is largely dependent on whether the speaker is referring to himself as the subject (I) or the object (me). Oddly, both sequences you cite ("just like me" and "just like I") could be correct given the proper context.
"She's left-handed, just like me."
"She's left-handed, just like I am."
I used these mainly to illustrate the key. Since "I" is a subject, it must be attached to a verb, "am."

While on the topic, many have been over-corrected regarding "and I." The correct form of the first person pronoun is the same as if you did not have "and." Correct examples:
"Bill and I went to the game." ("I went to the game")
"Aunt Jane bought tickets for Bill and me." ("Aunt Jane bought a ticket for me")

Answer 6

use "I" when referring to yourself as the direct object pronoun. use "me" when referring to yourself as an indirect object pronoun.

in simple terms, take out the the other person and see which way sounds right.
example: This is a picture of Bobby and me. ("This is a picture of me" sounds correct and is correct, so it is correct to use "me" here.)
another tricky situation is when you are comparing yourself and others. add in the verb that you are implying at the end of your statement.
example: Tim is taller than me. ("Tim is taller than me am" sounds incorrect, and is incorrect, so it is correct to say "Tim is taller than I."

hope that helps.

Answer 7

It isn't correct! If they say "just like I", it's WRONG, and people say things like that to make themselves sound more intellectual. You use "I" when it's used as the subject of a sentence, and "me" when it's the object.

Answer 8

You got so many answers, some of them good, there's nothing I can add, so there's a joke for you, concerning "me" and "I".

Heaven's gates. Somebody is knocking. Saint Peter asks.
"Who is it?"
"It is me", says a voice.
"Okay, come in", Saint Peter says.
The second day somebody else is knocking and Saint Peter asks again:
"Who is it?"
"It is me", a voice says.
"Okay, come in."
The third day another one is knocking. Saint Peter asks the same question:
"Who is it?"
"It is I" says a voice.
"Oh, bloody hell" says Saint Peter. "Another bloody teacher of English!"

Answer 9

just like me is correct as i understand it. use "I" when refering to yourself, like "I" just did or when refering to another and yourself (you & I, jerry & I, etc...)
use me when refering to what another said about/to you (...he said to me..)
i'm sure there are more rules to it!
hope this helps..

Answer 10

You would say, "I am going to the store." so you would say, "Jane and I are going to the store." not Jane and me.

and

"Do you want to go with me?" so it would be "Do you want to go with Jane and me?"


make sense?