182. Use the Pronoun Me as an Object

We learned yesterday that the subject in a sentence does the action.
I is the subject pronoun you use for yourself. I do things. I read a book.

An object does not do action. An object receives the action.
Me is the object pronoun you use when talking about yourself. Things happen to me.

Jim threw the ball to me.
Mom made a birthday cake for me.
In each of these sentences, me is the object of the preposition.

Me can also be a direct object or an indirect object.
Sam hugged me .
Dad showed me his new book.

Even when another person is part of the object with us, we still use the pronoun me.
Jim threw the ball to Jeff and me.
Dad showed Mom and me his new book.

Jim wouldn’t throw the ball to I, so he wouldn’t throw the ball to Jeff and I.
Dad wouldn’t show the book to I, so he wouldn’t show the book to Mom and I.

Always use the pronoun me as an object in a sentence – as the object of a preposition, as a direct object, and as an indirect object. If another person is part of the object with you, list them first and use the pronoun me to talk about yourself. Remember: I do things. Things happen to me. Things happen to you and me.

  • Now you try it. Change this sentence around so that John does the throwing. I threw the ball to John. Did you use the pronoun me? Can you add another person into the sentence so that John throws the ball to both of you? Did you put the other person’s name first? Did you still use the pronoun me for yourself? Good job!