Legal Writing

Pronoun Use is NOT Rocket Science

By Maeve

What is so hard about knowing when to use I and when to use me?

Why can’t professional reporters and TV script writers get it straight?

Florida fifth-grader Damon Weaver understands the subject form of the first person personal pronoun.

In case you’ve missed him on YouTube, Damon Weaver is newly-famous for interviewing Senator Joe Biden and for being pushed away by Secret Service agents when trying to question Senator John McCain. A recent Google search for “Damon Weaver” racked up 1,740,000 hits.

Before Weaver interviewed Biden, he interviewed a local TV reporter. The reporter used me where he should have used I. Later on, Weaver demonstrated his own grasp of the grammatical concept by using I correctly.

Last night, veging out in front of the TV, I was treated to three examples of incorrect pronoun use in a row.

Two occurred in The Mentalist:

She and him were sneaking around behind my back.

At least we know it wasn’t her that killed Cara.

Then, barely a minute into Without A Trace, came this one:

Me and my mom used to go there.

Come on, writers! If a ten-year-old can get it straight, what’s your excuse?

Fifth-Grader Has Better Grammar than News Reporter

Grammar 101: Pronouns

TV’s War on Me and I

Pronoun Use is NOT Rocket Science

Full post as published by Daily Writing Tips on October 30, 2008 (boomark / email).