Practice
John and myself: choosing a correct pronoun
John and I will attend the meeting. The choice is I because the two people are doing the action. Adding John does not change the pronoun you need.
Choose I, me, or myself correctly when you mention another person and yourself in the same sentence.
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
John and I /dʒɑːn ən aɪ/
The short answer
Use John and I when the pair is the subject of a verb: John and I will attend. Use John and me when the pair is an object: The manager invited John and me. Use myself only when it refers back to I, as in I prepared myself for the meeting, or when it adds emphasis, as in I myself sent the message.
John and I will attend the meeting.
Why it works: John and I are the subject of will attend, so use I rather than myself.
5 more examples
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John and I are presenting the report tomorrow.
The pair does the presenting, so it is the subject.
Not this:The director asked
John and meto present the report tomorrow. What changes: The pair receives the request, so use the object pronoun me. -
Please send the agenda to John and me.
The pronoun follows the preposition to, so it is an object.
Not this:
John and Iwill read the agenda before lunch. What changes: The pair is the subject of will read. -
I introduced myself before the interview began.
Myself refers back to I, the person who did the introducing.
Not this:The host introduced
John and mebefore the interview began. What changes: The host did the action, so the pair is an object. -
John and I chose the restaurant ourselves.
Ourselves refers back to the plural subject John and I and adds that they did it without help.
Not this:The organizer chose the restaurant
for John and me. What changes: The organizer did the choosing, and the pair receives the benefit. -
I myself will call the client this afternoon.
Myself adds emphasis to the subject I. It does not replace I.
Not this:
John and Iwill call the client this afternoon. What changes: Use I in the subject pair without adding myself unless emphasis is wanted.
Read the full guide
Find the verb first. Ask who is doing the action. If the answer is John and I, use I. If an action happens to the pair, use me. Keep myself for a reflexive meaning or a deliberate emphasis.
Start with the verb
Look for the verb and ask who does that action. A subject comes before or controls the verb. When John and you do the action together, the pronoun is I.
John and I will attend the meeting.
John and I are the people who will attend, so the phrase is the subject.
Choose the pronoun: Maria and ___ are leaving after the workshop.
Use I: Maria and I are leaving after the workshop.
Use I for a subject pair
I is the subject form. Another person's name does not make myself correct. Test the sentence without that name: I am ready is correct, so John and I are ready is also correct.
John and I are ready to begin.
Without John, the sentence is I am ready to begin. The same subject form stays in the pair.
Choose the pronoun: Sam and ___ wrote the notes.
Use I: Sam and I wrote the notes.
Use me for an object pair
Use me when someone does something to the pair, or when the pair follows a preposition such as to, for, or with. Test the sentence without the other name: The coach thanked me, not The coach thanked I.
The coach thanked John and me after the game.
The coach did the thanking. John and me receive that action.
Choose the pronoun: The message was sent to Omar and ___.
Use me: The message was sent to Omar and me.
Use myself when it points back to I
Myself is reflexive when I do an action to the same person. The word needs a clear earlier I in the clause. It can also emphasize I, but it cannot stand alone as the subject of a pair.
I gave myself extra time to prepare.
The speaker gave extra time to the speaker, so myself refers back to I.
Choose the word: I taught ___ how to use the new software.
Use myself: I taught myself how to use the new software.
Use the removal test
Remove the other person's name from a pair and listen to what remains. This test works because the grammatical job does not change when you add the name again.
The invitation was addressed to John and me.
The shorter sentence is The invitation was addressed to me. That confirms the object form.
Which form remains after you remove John: John and ___ will lead the session?
Use I because I will lead the session is correct.
Before you go
Remember this
Use I when the pair does the action and me when the pair receives it or follows a preposition. Use myself only when it clearly points back to I or adds emphasis to I. Remove the other name as a quick check.
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 "John and myself: choosing a correct pronoun"
Is John and myself ever correct as a subject?
Not in standard careful English. Use John and I when the pair does the action. Use myself only when it refers back to I or adds emphasis to I.
John and I are presenting the report tomorrow.
Why does the removal test work?
The other person's name does not change the pronoun's job. Remove that name and choose the form that works in the shorter sentence, then put the name back.
The director asked John and me to present the report tomorrow.
Should I say John and I or I and John?
In neutral English, put the other person's name first: John and I or John and me. The grammar choice still depends on whether the pair is a subject or an object.
Please send the agenda to John and me.
Can myself follow a preposition?
Yes, when it refers back to I. For example, I kept the information to myself. If it does not refer back to I, use me after a preposition.
John and I will read the agenda before lunch.
Is myself more polite than me?
No. Myself is not a formal substitute for me. In a phrase that receives an action or follows a preposition, use me unless the word clearly refers back to I.
I introduced myself before the interview began.