
If you’re confused by the words I, my, me, mine, and myself, you’re not alone!
In this lesson, I’m going to teach you the quick and easy difference between them.
I and ME
I is the subject – the person who does the action in the sentence.
- I gave John the book.
Me is the object – the person who receives the action in the sentence.
- John gave me the book.
OR: John gave the book to me.
- Dana and I saw Jim at the party.
Dana = subject
I = subject
Jim = object - The teacher called Sarah and me.
The teacher = subject
Sarah = object
me = object
MY and MINE
Use my before the word, and use mine after the word:
- Paul is my friend.
- Paul is a friend of mine.
- Those are my glasses.
- Those glasses are mine.
MYSELF
The word myself is used in two cases:
- As a reflexive pronoun – when “I” is both the subject AND the object
- I gave myself a haircut.
(This means I cut MY own hair) - I accidentally cut myself with the scissors.
- I gave myself a haircut.
- For emphasis – when you want to emphasize the “I”
- I baked this cake myself!
(I want to emphasize that I made it, and not another person) - I know John was at the party because I saw him there myself.
(I saw John at the party with my own eyes) - Give me the letter – I’ll deliver it myself.
(I’ll deliver the letter personally)
- I baked this cake myself!
BY MYSELF
The expression by myself means alone:
- I went out to dinner by myself.