Lesson

I/me/mine/my

Personal and possessive

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

I, me, my, mine — overview

This lesson explains how to use the four related English forms: I, me, my, and mine. They show who performs an action (subject), who receives an action (object), and how possession is expressed (possessive adjective and possessive pronoun).

  • I = subject pronoun (performs the action).
  • Me = object pronoun (receives the action or follows a preposition).
  • My = possessive adjective (modifies a noun).
  • Mine = possessive pronoun (replaces a noun + adjective).

Table

Forms and functions: I / me / my / mine

Role Form Example
Subject pronoun I I will chair the meeting.
Object pronoun me The manager emailed me after the call.
Possessive adjective my My notes are in the shared folder.
Possessive pronoun mine The choice was mine.

Tip

Key rule: who does what?

Remember the basic functions:

  • Use I when the pronoun is the subject (before a verb): I reported the figures.
  • Use me when the pronoun is the object (after a verb or preposition): Call me later.
  • Use my before a noun to show possession: my schedule, my team.
  • Use mine to replace a noun phrase already understood: That seat is mine.

Short check: subject = I, object = me, modify noun = my, replace noun = mine.

Example

Examples in context

I prepared the quarterly report and I will present it on Monday.

The director asked me to join the call at 9 AM.

My calendar is open for appointments after 2 PM.

If you need a place to sit, the chair next to me is mine.

Tip

Common mistakes to avoid

Learners often misuse these forms. Watch for these universal errors:

  • Using 'me' as the subject: 'Me will send the file.' (incorrect) → use 'I'.
  • Using 'my' alone when you need 'mine': 'That pen is my.' (incorrect) → use 'mine'.
  • Placing 'my' after verbs that need a pronoun: 'The report is my.' (incorrect) → 'The report is mine.'
  • Forgetting that 'me' follows prepositions and verbs, not before verbs as a subject.

Check the role (subject/object/possession) before choosing the form.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Check which form functions as the subject of the sentence.

Quiz

Complete: Please give the documents to _____.

Hint: Think about which pronoun follows a preposition.

Quiz

Choose the sentence that correctly uses a possessive pronoun:

Hint: Consider which form can stand alone to show possession.

Key Points

Vocabulary

I

pronoun CEFR A1 //aɪ//

Subject pronoun used when the speaker performs the action.

I will review the contract this afternoon.

Vocabulary

me

pronoun CEFR A1 //miː//

Object pronoun used when the speaker receives the action or follows a preposition.

The client emailed me with feedback.

Vocabulary

my

adjective CEFR A1 //maɪ//

Possessive adjective that modifies a noun to show ownership.

My team will finish the project by Friday.

Vocabulary

mine

pronoun CEFR A2 //maɪn//

Possessive pronoun that replaces a noun phrase to indicate ownership.

This seat is mine; please sit somewhere else.

GrammarPoint

subject

noun CEFR B1 //ˈsʌbdʒɛkt//

The part of a sentence that performs the action or that the sentence is about.

In 'I signed the document', 'I' is the subject.

GrammarPoint

object

noun CEFR B1 //ˈɒbdʒɛkt//

The part of a sentence that receives the action of the verb.

In 'The CEO called me', 'me' is the object.