Now, I guess this is my main pet peeve, as I hear it everywhere I turn, from television announcers to average people trying to sound like they know proper usage of “you and me” and “you and I.”

First, I will repeat this lie: if a song or someone on a television show says it, it must be correct, right?

Nope! Don’t listen to them, they will mess you up! Here are some hints on how to use “you and I” or “you and me” in sentences. We will skip the part about subject, verb, and adverb. I’m guessing that you don’t want to hear it. Pronouns must be mentioned here, however, as they are important to this sample sentence. You can remember the correct pronouns by saying each pronoun alone in the sentence. For example, “The kitten was entertaining for my cousin and I.” Leave out the “cousin and I and” and you get “The kitten was entertaining for I.” Ouch! You know now that the pronoun “me” should be used here. “The kitten was entertaining for me.” You and I are usually the subjects of a statement: “You and I are featured in the play.” Correct. “The play will feature you and I,” incorrect. Leave out the “you and” and get “The play will feature I.” “The play will feature you and me” is correct here. I hope my readers are interested in speaking correctly, and if you use this tip daily, then it will come naturally after a while. It is a very common mistake and most people do not notice or care. I am presenting this so that those who do care can learn to speak properly and those who listen to them will not think of them as uneducated, ignorant or just plain lazy.

This may not seem important to some, but potential employers, teachers, and others who hear will listen more closely and know that you are up to par on your language skills and decide you are a person worth talking with. It might even help you get a job!

Please do not say, “that’s just the way we talk around here,” because it is not. We may use words and terms that people from other places don’t understand, and we may pronounce words differently than they do, but we can keep our regional language and still use good English.

Once again, I am not an English teacher, but I pay attention to speech and want everyone to know the difference between bad and good English. It may get you places you never dreamed of!

You are in my prayers,

E.J.