Subject or object (passer or receiver)
Are you comparing yourself to the subject or to the object?
than I
If comparing to the doer, then the correct choice is “than I.”
If you could logically put a preposition after “than,” use “me.”
than me
If comparing to the receiver of the action, then choose “than me.”
If a verb reasonably follows the pronoun after “than,” use “I.”
The difference is important, as which one used can change the meaning of the sentence.
Examples:
- (“me”) My brother writes more letters to my mother than (to) me.
- “mother” = object, comparing to the object = “than to me”
- “mother” = object, receives more letters
- “me” = object
- (“I”) My brother writes more letters to my mother than I (write).
- “brother” = subject, comparing to the subject = “than I [write]”
- ” brother” = subject, writes more letters
- “I” = subject of “write”
- (“me”) Does that mean he sees her less than me?
- “her” = object, comparing to the object = “than me”
- “mother” has fewer visits from him; “me” = object, the one who is seen)
- (“I”) Does that mean he sees her less than I (see her)?
- “he” = subject, comparing to the subject = “than I [do]”
- “brother” sees her less than I see her
- (“me”) Maybe it’s because she sees him less than me.
- “him” = object, comparing to the object = “than me”
- “mother” doesn’t see “brother” as often as she sees me
- IF “less than I” = she sees him less than I see him.
Credits: Photo by Keith Johnston, Photo by Chris Moore on Unsplash
