Practice
And I, and me, or and myself: which is correct?
Lena and I filed the form. The clerk called Lena and me. I checked the form myself. The pronoun changes because each phrase has a different job.
Choose I when a name and I are the subject, me when a name and me are an object, and myself only for a clear reflexive or emphatic use.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Rosa and I will review the application tonight. /ˈroʊzə ən aɪ wɪl rɪˈvju ði ˌæpləˈkeɪʃən təˈnaɪt/
The short answer
Write a name and I when the pair is the subject: Nora and I agreed. Write a name and me when the pair is an object: The facilitator thanked Nora and me. Use myself when it clearly points back to I, as in I reminded myself, or when it emphasizes I, as in I myself checked the time.
The facilitator thanked Nora and me after the session.
Why it works: The facilitator did the thanking, so Nora and me is the object of the verb.
5 more examples
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Rosa and I will review the application tonight.
Rosa and I will do the reviewing, so the phrase is the subject.
Not this:The adviser will review the application with
Rosa and metonight. What changes: With introduces the phrase, so the object pronoun me is needed. -
The producer sent Malik and me the revised schedule.
The producer did the sending. Malik and me received the schedule.
Not this:
Malik and Isent the producer our comments. What changes: Malik and I did the sending, so the pair is the subject. -
I reminded myself to save the receipt.
I gives and receives the reminder, so myself refers back to the subject.
Not this:The accountant reminded
Farah and meto save the receipt. What changes: The accountant gave the reminder to the pair, so use the object pronoun me. -
I myself checked the room number before leaving.
Myself adds emphasis to I. It does not replace an ordinary object in this sentence.
Not this:The attendant checked the room number for
Farah and me. What changes: For is a preposition, so the phrase uses me rather than myself. -
Diego and I prepared ourselves for the interview.
The reflexive pronoun refers back to the two-person subject Diego and I.
Not this:The interviewer prepared
Diego and mefor the interview. What changes: The interviewer prepared the pair, so the object phrase needs me.
Read the full guide
Look at the whole name-and-pronoun phrase before choosing a form. Ask whether the pair does the action, receives it, or follows a preposition. Then ask whether myself has a clear connection to I in the same clause. These checks give you a dependable choice in neutral edited English.
Find the pair's job
Treat the name and pronoun as one phrase. If the phrase does the action, it is the subject. If another person acts on the phrase, it is an object. The position and job of the phrase decide whether you need I or me.
Aisha and I opened the meeting.
Aisha and I did the opening, so the phrase is the subject.
Choose the pronoun: Aisha and ___ will present the plan.
Use I: Aisha and I will present the plan.
Use I in a subject
Use I when the name-and-pronoun pair comes before a verb and does the action. A linking verb works in the same way. In Aisha and I are ready, the verb are describes the pair, but the pair is still the subject.
Aisha and I are ready for the interview.
The verb are describes Aisha and I, so the subject form I fits.
Complete the sentence: Daniel and ___ agreed to take the early train.
Use I: Daniel and I agreed to take the early train.
Use me as an object
Use me when a verb acts on you and another person. Also use me after a preposition such as to, with, for, or between. The other person's name does not change the object form.
The host greeted Daniel and me at the door.
The host did the greeting. Daniel and me received it.
Complete the sentence: Please send the update to Daniel and ___.
Use me: Please send the update to Daniel and me.
Keep myself for its job
Myself normally points back to I in the same clause. Use it when the person doing the action and the person affected are the same. You can also use myself to emphasize I. It is not simply a more formal version of me.
I introduced myself to the new neighbors.
I did the introducing, and myself is the same person who was introduced.
Choose the reflexive pronoun: I taught ___ how to use the scanner.
Use myself: I taught myself how to use the scanner.
Match a pair with ourselves
When the subject is a name and I, it has two people. A reflexive pronoun that points back to both people must be plural. Use ourselves, not myself.
Daniel and I gave ourselves time to prepare.
Ourselves refers back to the two people in Daniel and I.
Complete the sentence: Elena and I introduced ___ after the call.
Use ourselves: Elena and I introduced ourselves after the call.
Choose a clear default
A quick one-person check can settle most choices. Remove the name and say the short sentence. If you would say I replied, write name and I replied. If you would say the client called me, write the client called name and me. Use this check together with the meaning of a reflexive sentence.
The client called Elena and me.
Without Elena, the short sentence is The client called me.
Test the phrase: Elena and ___ replied to the client.
Use I because the short sentence is I replied to the client.
Before you go
Remember this
Find the job of the whole phrase. Use name and I when the pair does the action. Use name and me when the pair receives an action or follows a preposition. Use myself when it refers back to I or adds emphasis to I. If the subject is name and I, the matching reflexive form is ourselves.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "And I, and me, or and myself: which is correct?"
Should I use 'and I' or 'and me'?
Use a name and I when the pair does the action, as in Rosa and I arrived early. Use a name and me when the pair receives an action or follows a preposition, as in The guide spoke to Rosa and me.
Rosa and I will review the application tonight.
Is 'and myself' always wrong?
No. Myself has clear reflexive and emphatic uses, such as I reminded myself or I myself checked the address. You may also find other coordinated uses in formal language. For an ordinary object phrase, a name and me is the clearest neutral choice.
The adviser will review the application with Rosa and me tonight.
How does the one-person check work?
Temporarily remove the other person's name and say the shorter sentence. If you would say I called, write Maya and I called. If you would say the manager called me, write the manager called Maya and me. Then put the full phrase back into the sentence.
The producer sent Malik and me the revised schedule.
Why do I use 'ourselves' with a name and I?
A phrase such as Maya and I refers to two people. When a reflexive pronoun points back to that pair, it must also be plural. Write Maya and I prepared ourselves, because ourselves refers to Maya and the speaker together.
Malik and I sent the producer our comments.
Can 'myself' add emphasis to I?
Yes. In I myself made the reservation, myself adds emphasis to I. It does not change the subject or object role. This differs from an ordinary object phrase such as The host called me, where me is the natural object form.
I reminded myself to save the receipt.