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Pedants' corner

Robert is better than I at ... or Robert is better than me at ...

49 replies

DodoRevival · 27/11/2016 11:59

Which is the correct one?

For the record I would use the latter. Someone who regards themselves as being better educated than me and having a higher standard of English than I do recently used the former.

I have never been formally taught grammar and interested to know which it should be; also can you explain (in plain English!) why please?

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NetflixandBill · 27/11/2016 12:18

I would say 'better than me' but i can't explain why! I do think some people overuse the 'I' instead of 'me'.

Worse is when people use 'myself'! Grrr

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Floggingmolly · 27/11/2016 12:20

Better than I am.

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Pagwatch · 27/11/2016 12:21

Robert sucks.

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ElfingHeck · 27/11/2016 12:22

Anything rather than 'Robert is better than myself at ...'

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NicknameUsed · 27/11/2016 12:23

This seems to be a recent thing. Surely common sense must tell you that if you are just referring to yourself you would know whether it should be me or I.

eg I went to the cinema - DP and I went to the cinema. You wouldn't use me in that case.

MIL came to the cinema with DP and me - not MIL came to the cinema with DP and I, or MIL came to the cinema with me because DP couldn't go. She din't come to the cinema with I.

Aaargh!

Are these people really that uneducated or are they trying to sound posh and failing spectacularly?

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BratFarrarsPony · 27/11/2016 12:24

Better than I am at...

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BratFarrarsPony · 27/11/2016 12:24

..because you would not say ..."me is good at that'

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Bertieboo1 · 27/11/2016 12:26

Better than me....

It's because grammatically Robert is the subject of the sentence (I think) not the speaker.

So 'I kicked the ball' I is the subject - I is doing the kicking.

But 'the ball was kicked at me' - someone else is doing the kicking, so me is used.

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SwedishEdith · 27/11/2016 12:27

Me. I has to be used with a verb? My grammar knowledge, like lots my age I suspect, is through learning French.

I think some people think I sounds posher so use it when they're not sure or want to sound formal.

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BratFarrarsPony · 27/11/2016 12:27

Nickname , some people, even quite educated ones, think that 'and I' is correct in all cases.
That is just what it is, a case - nominative or accusative...but probably best not to go there...:)
The best explanation is to remove the other person, as you said.

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DodoRevival · 27/11/2016 12:30

have never been formally taught grammar

This is what I thought. However neither sentance makes sense without Robert!!

Maybe we should ask Robert ...

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ginghamstarfish · 27/11/2016 12:31

'I' for the subject, 'me' for the object - but correct grammar seems to be
optional these days!

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DodoRevival · 27/11/2016 12:31

What the heck!! That's not what I copied to quote!! I wrote that.

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BratFarrarsPony · 27/11/2016 12:33

oh yes this would make no sense without Robert...:)
I still think it would be 'than I am'...

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callipygiana · 27/11/2016 12:33

Pronouns for active voice:
I
You
He
She
It
We
They

Pronouns for passive voice
Me
You
Him
Her
It
Us
Them

E.g.
I love him
He loves me

You just need to work out who is doing the action (subject) and who is receiving it (object).

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DodoRevival · 27/11/2016 12:34

Why I'm interested is the person who used 'i' is well known for her superior knowledge of everything grammar. I was a bit taken a back that I felt she was wrong.

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BratFarrarsPony · 27/11/2016 12:35

that is not 'active and passive voice' Callipy

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QueenMortificado · 27/11/2016 12:36

My friend went to a vey posh school and is absolutely certain she was ALWAYS taught to say "I" because it is more polite

I've explained the whole "take away the other person from the sentence" thing many times and she doesn't get it

Would you ever say "here's a photo of I"? No, of course you wouldn't. So why would you say "here's a photo of John and I"?

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DodoRevival · 27/11/2016 12:38

You just need to work out who is doing the action (subject) and who is receiving it (object).

Hmmmmm.

This might be where I'm struggling ...

The sentence with 'am' in it does seem the most preferable, making both examples wrong!!

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TyrannosauraRegina · 27/11/2016 12:39

Easy way to tell: swap to third person. For some reason, people find first person much more confusing grammatically.

Robert is better than her at... - fine
Robert is better than she is at... - fine
Robert is better than she at... - no.

So that would mean:
Robert is better than me at...
Robert is better than I am at...
are both correct.

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callipygiana · 27/11/2016 12:43

I meant in the following, for example:

I built the house (active)
The house was built by me (passive).

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DodoRevival · 27/11/2016 12:44

TyrannosauraRegina which means my instinct was right and hers wrong by omission of 'am'

Not that I'm ever going to tell her!! That'd be too dangerous.

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GinIsIn · 27/11/2016 12:44

It's I - What you are saying is 'Robert is better than I am at chess' 'I am not as good at chess as Robert'.

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BratFarrarsPony · 27/11/2016 12:47

yes but callipy this is not a question about the passive or active voice, it is about cases.
By throwing that in you are just confusing people!

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callipygiana · 27/11/2016 12:49

It's only I if it has a verb after it.

"Better than I AM..."

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