THAN I or THAN ME, which is more correct? Should you say taller than me or taller than I? The quick answer is both are correct, but not everyone agrees that both are correct, and thats the problem. These days, the word than is classified both as a conjunction and as a preposition, and thats the root of the debate. When than is used as a conjunction, it looks like this: John is taller than I am. or John is taller than I. (just a more succinct version) However, when than is used as a preposition, it looks like this: John is taller than me. Grammarians have been arguing for hundreds of years over whether than is a conjunction or a preposition . Heres the bottom line. You can say: than I (than he, than she, than we, than they) or than me (than him, than her, than us, than them) For most people, the than me version sounds natural, but this is the version that runs the highest risk of being considered wrong. This is because the than I version has been around longer and seems more grammatically correct. The than I version can sound pretentious though. So, there is a lot to weigh up without any definitive guidelines. Unfortunately, there are some other issues to consider. So, its not as simple as just doing whatever you want and, if challenged, claiming that the worlds grammarians have been squabbling for hundreds of years over this issue. Sometimes, the than me version (i.e., when than is being treated as a preposition) introduces some ambiguity. AVOIDING AMBIGUITY Look at this example: John likes Peter more than me. This could mean: John prefers Peter to me. or John likes Peter more than I like Peter. The best way to get around this is to treat than as a conjunction and write out the sentence in full. For example: John likes Peter more than I do. or John likes Peter more than I like Peter. THAN WHOM There is another quirk. Nobody wants to write this: You like him more than who? Everyone agrees it should be: You like him more than whom? So, when who is the pronoun in question, than should always be treated as a preposition and you should write than whom. THE FINAL ADVICE The safest option is to expand the words after than. This usually means adding at least the verb (e.g., than he is / than they have). This removes all ambiguity and stops your wording sounding pretentious. Here is an example with no potential ambiguity: John is taller than I am. (No one can argue this version, and it portrays you as a clear thinker.) John is taller than me. (This is okay, but some of your readers or listenners wont like it.) John is taller than I. (This is okay, but a few of your readers or listenners wont like it, and it sounds quite pretentious.) Here is an example with potential ambiguity: John rates Peter more than I do. (No one can argue this version, and it portrays you as a clear thinker.) John rates Peter more than he rates me.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 10:04:47 +0000
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