Anna and I; Anna and Me

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Anna and I; Anna and Me

In this lesson, you can put a name and I together before a verb.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Before you start

Name two people who can join a class.

See one possible response

Ana and I can join.

You are making a list of people for a shared cooking class. Say who joins an activity and who receives a message.

What you will practise
  • Put a name and I together before a verb.
  • Use a name and me after a verb or preposition.
  • Choose a plural verb for two people.

Say your answer. Then check the model. Your answer can be different if it fits the task.

Who does it?

Use I, he, she, we or they when the people do the action. A name and I can be the subject together. In the model Anna and I cook, both people cook.

Anna and I cook on Fridays.

He and his brother bring the food.

The two women cook together, with neat practical aprons over their formal clothes, using a small mixing bowl, whisk and vegetables on a minimal work surface. Both take part as the subject group, with absorbed cooperative expressions.
Anna and I cook.Use the subject form I.

Who receives it?

Use me, him, her, us or them after the verb or a word such as for or with. A name does not change this: invite Anna and me; a message for him and his brother.

Please call Anna and me.

This table is for him and his brother.

Try the pronoun on its own

Before the verbI cook.

Put the name back: Anna and I cook.

After the verbPlease call me.

Put the name back: Please call Anna and me.

This short test helps you choose I or me. Put the name back to keep both people in your message. For two people with be, use are: Anna and I are ready.

One group, plural verb

Two people joined by and usually need a plural verb: Anna and I are ready. In the present simple, use cook, not cooks, with this group. Compare Anna cooks with Anna and I cook.

My cousin and I are early.

She and her friend work here.

The same two women await a call, standing together with one smartphone and an appointment card. The brunette gently gestures to herself and Anna while addressing an unseen caller. Both are recipients of the requested call; do not add another visible adult or depict cooking here.
Please call Anna and me.Use the object form me after the verb.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Then compare the meaning and grammar with the model.

1. Use the neutral subject form: Anna and I / me make lunch.

Compare a model and explanation

Anna and I make lunch.

I is the subject form in this target pattern.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

2. Complete: Please invite Anna and ___. Use I or me.

Compare a model and explanation

Please invite Anna and me.

The people receive the invitation, so use me.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

3. Correct for the taught pattern: This message is for you and I.

Compare a model and explanation

This message is for you and me.

Use me after for, even with you and before it.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

4. Start with My sister: are / I / my sister / ready / and.

Compare a model and explanation

My sister and I are ready.

The combined subject comes before are.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

5. Complete: Ben and I ___ early. Use am, is or are.

Compare a model and explanation

Ben and I are early.

The subject includes two people.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

6. Change Anna works here to include her brother.

Compare a model and explanation

Anna and her brother work here.

The plural subject takes work, without -s.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

7. Ask whether Anna and Ben are ready.

Compare a model and explanation

Are Anna and Ben ready?

Use are with the two people.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

8. You and Eva cook. The teacher helps both of you. Write two sentences with Eva and I, then Eva and me.

Compare a model and explanation

Eva and I cook. The teacher helps Eva and me.

The first pair does the action; the second receives help.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

A short conversation

Listen to the exchange, then take one role. The speaker labels identify roles; do not narrate them.

Open the conversation transcript

Learner: Anna and I are in the evening class.

Organiser: Good. Can you and Anna bring two bowls?

Learner: Yes. Please send Anna and me the address.

Organiser: Of course. I’ll send it today.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract, then choose the best answer. These three questions have their own score.

1. Who makes the soup?
Read the listening transcript

Ben and I make the soup. Sara brings the bread.

2. Who needs the list?
Read the listening transcript

Please give the list to Rosa and me. We need it for the class.

3. When do both people work?
Read the listening transcript

My sister works on Tuesday. My sister and I work on Saturday.

Answer key with explanations

  1. Who makes the soup?

    Ben and the speaker.: Ben and I names those two people.

    Compare all choices
    • Sara alone.: Sara brings bread, not soup.
    • Ben and the speaker.: Ben and I names those two people.
    • Ben and Sara.: I refers to the speaker, not Sara.

  2. Who needs the list?

    Rosa and the speaker.: Me identifies the speaker as one recipient.

    Compare all choices
    • The teacher and Rosa.: The teacher is not named as a recipient.
    • Only Rosa.: And me adds the speaker.
    • Rosa and the speaker.: Me identifies the speaker as one recipient.

  3. When do both people work?

    Saturday.: The combined subject belongs to Saturday.

    Compare all choices
    • Saturday.: The combined subject belongs to Saturday.
    • Tuesday.: Only the sister is mentioned for Tuesday.
    • Neither day.: Saturday is explicitly a shared work day.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.

1. Choose the neutral subject pattern taught here.
2. Complete: Please help Tom and ___.
3. Complete: The tickets are for you and ___.
4. Complete: My cousin and I ___ ready.
5. Choose the sentence about two people.
6. Ask whether Ben and Sara are early.
7. Complete: The teacher calls my brother and ___.
8. Which pair keeps the roles clear?
Answer key with explanations

  1. Choose the neutral subject pattern taught here.

    Eva and I study here.: I is the subject form.

    Compare all choices
    • Eva and I study here.: I is the subject form.
    • Eva and me studies here.: The target needs I and plural study.
    • Eva and us studies here.: The pronoun and verb do not fit the target subject pattern.

  2. Complete: Please help Tom and ___.

    me: Use me as part of the object of help.

    Compare all choices
    • my: My needs a following noun and does not work here.
    • me: Use me as part of the object of help.
    • I: I is not the target object form.

  3. Complete: The tickets are for you and ___.

    me: For takes the object form me.

    Compare all choices
    • I: Use the object form after for.
    • mine: Mine expresses possession, not the recipient here.
    • me: For takes the object form me.

  4. Complete: My cousin and I ___ ready.

    are: Two people form a plural subject.

    Compare all choices
    • are: Two people form a plural subject.
    • is: Is does not agree with the two-person subject.
    • am: Am agrees with I alone, not this whole pair.

  5. Choose the sentence about two people.

    Ana and her friend work here.: A plural subject takes work.

    Compare all choices
    • Ana and her friend works here.: Works is the singular present form.
    • Ana and her friend work here.: A plural subject takes work.
    • Ana and her friend working here.: Working alone does not supply the full verb here.

  6. Ask whether Ben and Sara are early.

    Are Ben and Sara early?: Are comes before the combined subject.

    Compare all choices
    • Ben and Sara are early?: This is not the neutral question order requested.
    • Is Ben and Sara early?: Use plural are.
    • Are Ben and Sara early?: Are comes before the combined subject.

  7. Complete: The teacher calls my brother and ___.

    me: Both people are objects of calls.

    Compare all choices
    • me: Both people are objects of calls.
    • I: The target needs the object form.
    • we: We is a subject form and changes the people.

  8. Which pair keeps the roles clear?

    Eva and I cook. The tutor helps Eva and me.: I is in the subject; me is in the object.

    Compare all choices
    • Eva and I cooks. The tutor helps Eva and me.: The second sentence works, but the first needs cook.
    • Eva and I cook. The tutor helps Eva and me.: I is in the subject; me is in the object.
    • Eva and me cooks. The tutor helps Eva and I.: Both the target case and agreement need repair.

Use it in your own words

Say who joins you

Name a person who studies, works or travels with you. Give two sentences about the pair.

Reveal a possible response

My friend and I study English. We are in the same class.

  • I use I in the combined subject.
  • My verb matches two people.

Real or invented details are acceptable.

Ask for help

Ask someone to call or email two people, including you. Add who the message is for.

Reveal a possible response

Please email Noor and me. The message is for Noor and me.

  • I use me after the verb.
  • I keep me after for.

Other names and useful requests are welcome.

Put it all together

You are joining a local music group with a friend. Say what you both do, say that you are ready and ask the organiser to contact both of you.

Reveal a possible response

Luis and I sing. Luis and I are ready. Please call Luis and me.

  • I use a combined subject.
  • I use a plural verb.
  • I use an object form in the request.

Use the music-group context rather than the cooking-class examples.

Take it with you

Use I with a name as the subject. Use me after a verb or preposition. A combined subject normally takes a plural verb.