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Message
English: Is "you were here before me" correct?
Posted on 12/4/18 at 9:45 am
Posted on 12/4/18 at 9:45 am
example:
That girl is fatter than I am.
We use the clause "than I am."
And we can modify it still further too:
That girl is fatter than I.
The main clause is unchanged, but the subordinate clause is shrunk to almost nothing: it's than I, with the verb am understood but not explicitly present.
Now here's where things get strange. Most people change that I to me:
That girl is fatter than me.
Many on the OT notice but refrain from correcting others, as the error has become commonplace.
So my question, is if "you were here before me" proper or should it be I as well?
That girl is fatter than I am.
We use the clause "than I am."
And we can modify it still further too:
That girl is fatter than I.
The main clause is unchanged, but the subordinate clause is shrunk to almost nothing: it's than I, with the verb am understood but not explicitly present.
Now here's where things get strange. Most people change that I to me:
That girl is fatter than me.
Many on the OT notice but refrain from correcting others, as the error has become commonplace.
So my question, is if "you were here before me" proper or should it be I as well?
15
Posted on 12/4/18 at 9:46 am to Kujo
Me
Posted on 12/4/18 at 9:47 am to Kujo
Pretty sure "before I" is grammatically correct because "was" is the understood verb. "You were here before I was."
ETA: I'm wrong. From another site:
ETA: I'm wrong. From another site:
quote:
You would say "He got there before I got there" because you need the "I" to fulfill the function of subject in the clause "I got there." You'd say "He got there before me,"because you need the object form, "me," as the object of the preposition "before." In the first sentence "before I got there" is an adverbial clause telling us when he got there. In the second sentence, "before" introduces a prepositional phrase acting as an adverb.
This post was edited on 12/4/18 at 9:50 am
Posted on 12/4/18 at 9:47 am to Kujo
It's the internet, not a term paper.
Posted on 12/4/18 at 9:49 am to Kujo
Me don't know.
Posted on 12/4/18 at 9:51 am to Kujo
This seems like one of those harmless times where accepting the "incorrect" version is just easier and is 100x less pretentious sounding 
I'd say go with either. That said, "could care less" will always drive me up a fricking wall.
I'd say go with either. That said, "could care less" will always drive me up a fricking wall.
Posted on 12/4/18 at 10:10 am to Kujo
It's usually "I" if before the verb and "me" if after.
Guessing here: In your first example "am" is a second verb, so "I" is correct as the subject before the verb..?
Guessing here: In your first example "am" is a second verb, so "I" is correct as the subject before the verb..?
Posted on 12/4/18 at 10:10 am to Kujo
Posted on 12/4/18 at 10:11 am to Kujo
you were here before me was here
Posted on 12/4/18 at 10:11 am to Ingeniero
Who cares as long as someone knows what you mean.
The English language is certifiably retarded in some of its rules
The English language is certifiably retarded in some of its rules
Posted on 12/4/18 at 10:14 am to Kujo
Ain’t reading none of that, irregarrdless I could care less
Posted on 12/4/18 at 10:30 am to Kujo
you don't think you be here before me, but it do.
Posted on 12/4/18 at 10:32 am to Kujo
Didn’t read.
Enjoy my downvote.
Enjoy my downvote.
Posted on 12/4/18 at 10:57 am to ctiger69
Posted on 12/4/18 at 11:18 am to Kujo
quote:
That girl is fatter than me.
Need pics of the fat girl to make a determination...
Posted on 12/4/18 at 11:24 am to Kujo
Posted on 12/4/18 at 11:27 am to Kujo
quote:Eat less and exercise more, fatty.
That girl is fatter than I am.
PS: IWNHI
Posted on 12/5/18 at 8:23 am to deltaland
Yes. English is the language of business around the world. There is only one main rule: Be understood.
Posted on 12/5/18 at 8:57 am to Kujo
It’s me. It’s the object, not the subject of the sentence.
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