Shadowing Practice: Speaking English: You and I (or is it You and Me?!?) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

C1
Me and David just checked into the hotel.
⏸ Paused
360 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Me and David just checked into the hotel.
2
David and I just checked into the hotel.
3
David and me or David and I?
4
Which one is right?
5
There's a really common mistake in spoken English,
6
but it's an easy fix.
7
Don't worry.
8
In this video, I've come to New York City with my husband,
9
and we're gonna go over so many examples of
10
when it should be David and I and when it should be me and David.
11
Also, notice, each time I say this,
12
this, there's the word and.
13
And notice it's never pronounced and.
14
It's always pronounced David and I.
15
So today we're also going to really study as a bonus the reduction of the word and,
16
so that you have smooth and connected speech and a natural American accent.
17
I'm Rachel.
18
I have a background in opera singing,
19
and I've been teaching the American accent to non-native speakers for over 20 years.
20
Scan this QR code or go to rachelsenglish.com slash free to get my free course,
21
The Top 3 Ways to Master the American Accent.
22
It will blow your mind.
23
It will give you totally new ideas on how to get the sound you've always wanted.
24
First, let's go over the basics of David and me,
25
or David and I.
26
The name David never changes,
27
but the pronoun me or I,
28
does change depending on the grammar.
29
If it's the subject, the person doing the action, then it's I.
30
I checked into the hotel.
31
You'll never hear, me checked into the hotel.
32
People only really mess up pronouns like this when we're using AND and a name, like David.
33
So you'll probably never hear a native speaker say,
34
me checked into a hotel,
35
but you will definitely hear Me and David checked into a hotel.
36
But it's not correct.
37
Who's doing the action here?
38
Is it the hotel?
39
No, it's Rachel and David.
40
We are the subjects, so it has to be I.
41
I checked into the hotel.
42
David and I checked into the hotel.
43
My friend and I checked into the hotel.
44
So remember, subject of the sentence, use I.
45
Our other pronouns are as follows.
46
You is the subject and the object.
47
You gave me a dollar.
48
I gave you a dollar.
49
He is the subject and him is the object.
50
He gave me a dollar.
51
I gave him a dollar.
52
She is the subject and her is the object.
53
She gave me a dollar.
54
I gave her a dollar.
55
For it, it's both the The subject and the object.
56
It gave me a stomach ache.
57
I gave it a second coat of paint.
58
We is the subject and us is the object.
59
They is the subject and them is the object.
60
We gave them a dollar.
61
They gave us a dollar.
62
Okay, now what about in this sentence?
63
Which is right.
64
The hotel gave me and David an upgrade.
65
The hotel gave David and I an upgrade.
66
David and I, or David and me.
67
Who's doing the action here?
68
It's the hotel.
69
They're giving the upgrade.
70
So David and I are receiving the action,
71
we're getting it, so we're now the object.
72
The hotel gave me an upgrade.
73
The hotel gave me and David an upgrade.
74
We would never say, the hotel gave David and I an upgrade.
75
This is grammatically incorrect.
76
It has to be me and David because I'm the object here.
77
The hotel gave me and David an upgrade.
78
The The hotel gave her an upgrade.
79
The hotel gave him an upgrade.
80
The hotel gave us an upgrade.
81
The hotel gave them an upgrade.
82
Okay, with what you've learned so far,
83
pick the correct one for this sentence.
84
Are running late, me and David, or David and I?
85
Let's take out David.
86
Can we say, me is running late,
87
or me are running late.
88
No, that's not correct.
89
I am running late.
90
So it has to be,
91
David and I are running late,
92
not me and David are running late.
93
My friend's name is Audrey and she and I met when we sang together in the Bronx Opera Company years ago.
94
Let's look at that sentence.
95
My friend's name is Audrey,
96
and she and I met when we sang together in the Bronx Opera Company.
97
She and I, or me and her, or her and I.
98
Okay, first of all, her and I is never an option.
99
These two should never go together because when it's the subject,
100
it's I or she.
101
When we're talking about the object, it's me or her.
102
So I can never do her and I together.
103
She and I met when we sang together in the Bronx Opera Company.
104
We are the subject of this sentence.
105
She and I is correct.
106
My friend's name is Audrey,
107
and she and I met when we sang together in the Bronx Opera Company years ago.
108
Bronx Opera hired she and I at the same time.
109
Bronx Opera hired her and I at the same time.
110
She and I?
111
Her and I?
112
Are either of these correct?
113
Do you remember what I just said?
114
Her and I can never go together,
115
so that expression was incorrect.
116
What about the first expression?
117
Who's the subject?
118
Bronx Opera hired she and I at the same time.
119
It's Bronx Opera.
120
Who's the object?
121
I am, Audrey is.
122
The hiring was done to us.
123
So it needs to be her and me.
124
Bronx Opera hired her.
125
Bronx Opera hired me.
126
Bronx Opera hired her and me at the same time.
127
And right now, David and I are on our way to meet my friend Lynn.
128
Lynn also sang with us in the Bronx Opera.
129
Thank you.
130
David and I are on our way,
131
or me and David are on our way.
132
Which is right?
133
Who's doing the action?
134
It's David.
135
It's me.
136
We are the subjects.
137
So the correct answer is David and I.
138
David is on his way.
139
I'm on my way.
140
David and I are on our way.
141
Never, me is on my way.
142
Me and David think the light reflecting off these buildings is gorgeous.
143
Who's doing the thinking?
144
The subject.
145
I think the light reflecting off this building is gorgeous.
146
David thinks the light reflecting off this building is gorgeous.
147
David and I think the the light reflecting off this building is gorgeous.
148
We are the subjects.
149
Me and David think the light reflecting off these buildings is gorgeous.
150
Wait, me and David?
151
David and I.
152
Before the show, David and I met up with my friend Lynn for dinner.
153
My friend Lynn and I just had dinner.
154
Delicious.
155
And Lynn and I both sang with Audrey in Bronx Opera, we're so excited.
156
So long ago.
157
So long ago.
158
Honestly, I'll share some photos.
159
Um, but we're so excited to go see her.
160
Yeah, we are.
161
Now I'm talking about myself and Lynn.
162
Again, we're the subjects, so I use I.
163
Lynn and I.
164
And yes, I do have some photos.
165
This is me, this is Lynn, and this is Audrey.
166
Notice I didn't say this is I.
167
In the phrase, this is me, me is the object.
168
Sometimes under a photo, you'll see something like, me on a hike.
169
It's grammatically correct.
170
It's short for, this is a picture of me on a hike.
171
And I want to be clear,
172
these kinds of mistakes happen all the time.
173
Even I, someone who's passionate about English and about grammar,
174
make mistakes like this from time to time.
175
For For example, I noticed I made a mistake in this text to my aunt.
176
David and I are the objects.
177
The photo is of us.
178
So, I should have said,
179
here's a picture of me and David a couple weekends ago.
180
I would never say, here's a picture of I.
181
But when putting it with and in a name, mistakes can creep in.
182
My friend Lynn and I just had dinner.
183
Delicious.
184
And Lynn and I both sang with Audrey in Bronx Opera.
185
Lynn and I first met in,
186
it was in Florida, right?
187
Yeah, in Florida.
188
You and Gabby, yes, Gabby,
189
you're living right next door to me and Holly.
190
Me and Holly.
191
Is this correct?
192
Lynn and Gabby are the subjects.
193
Holly and I are the objects.
194
We were the ones they were living by.
195
So yes, Holly and me is correct.
196
You and Gabby were living next to Holly and I.
197
This is incorrect.
198
You and Gabby were living next to me and Holly.
199
And you and Gabby, yes,
200
Gabby, you're living right next door to me and Holly.
201
David and I brought the train in today and the hotel gave me and David an upgrade.
202
Really?
203
No, No, they didn't, but I just,
204
I was trying to use me and David as an object instead of a subject.
205
Okay, so I was lying earlier when I said we got an upgrade.
206
We didn't, but it was a good way to make us the subject of the sentence.
207
The hotel gave me and David an upgrade.
208
Do you have a nice view?
209
We do have a nice view,
210
but that's because I paid for it.
211
Okay, yeah, well, that's New York for you.
212
That's New York for you,
213
yeah, no, it's nice though.
214
The thing about you, is you can use you as a subject or an object.
215
I can say you met me in Florida and then I can say I met you in Florida.
216
But so you was the same in both of those but I had to switch between I and me.
217
I met you, you met me.
218
You met me.
219
Yes.
220
We met each other.
221
We met each other.
222
Yeah.
223
And we're still friends.
224
And we're still friends all these years later.
225
I wonder if I actually have photos from that year.
226
summer.
227
I probably do.
228
I checked.
229
I don't have any photos from that summer.
230
Okay, here's a bonus, the pronunciation of grocery.
231
Well, there's a grocery store we could probably find.
232
Yeah.
233
Oh yeah, let's go in the grocery store.
234
You know what?
235
Some people ask me about the word grocery.
236
How to say it?
237
Yeah.
238
I say grocery.
239
What do you say?
240
I do, I say grocery.
241
You do?
242
Grocery.
243
This is awkward.
244
I can't fit, Rachel!
245
I would do it.
246
Okay.
247
Hold on.
248
There we go.
249
Okay.
250
You say, wait, you say what?
251
Grosh or gross?
252
Gross.
253
Gross.
254
Gross.
255
And I say gross.
256
I think so.
257
Groceries.
258
Grocery.
259
No, I do not say that.
260
I say grocery.
261
Grocery.
262
I think I could also say that,
263
but most of the time I think I say gross.
264
Huh.
265
All right.
266
Let's find some nice flowers here.
267
Okay.
268
We'll do our best.
269
We'll find flowers for her,
270
not for she, for her.
271
We'll find flowers for her,
272
for you, for him, for me, all objects.
273
I think she would like that.
274
That's pretty.
275
All right, let's do it.
276
Let's go.
277
I said let's do it at the exact same time.
278
All right, where's checkout?
279
Here, here, checkout.
280
Okay, perfect.
281
Good.
282
I feel good about showing up with this.
283
The price isn't on it, is it?
284
Yeah, I think it is.
285
Here.
286
We're meeting her in the lobby after, did I tell you?
287
Oh, no. Okay, good.
288
She is meeting you and me, not you and I.
289
Don't forget your receipt, Rachel.
290
That's your receipt.
291
Oh, that's mine.
292
You're right.
293
Lynn and I are meeting her.
294
Her is the object.
295
She, now the subject, is meeting me and Lynn.
296
Lynn and I are meeting her.
297
She's meeting me and Lynn.
298
Thank you.
299
Thank you.
300
Oh, she'll love that.
301
She will.
302
Not her.
303
She.
304
She'll love it when we give them to her.
305
And we will enjoy giving them to her.
306
We will feel so good.
307
It will make me and you feel wonderful when you and I give her the flower.
308
It will make me and you feel wonderful.
309
We are the objects, the ones who receive the feeling of wonderful.
310
When you and I give her the flowers.
311
Now for this part of the sentence,
312
we're switching to the subject,
313
so me changes to I.
314
We're the subjects, the ones doing the action of giving.
315
When you and I give her flowers,
316
it will make me and you feel wonderful.
317
Okay, quiz time.
318
Take one more look at the graphic.
319
Pronouns for subjects and pronouns for objects.
320
There are seven questions here.
321
Can you get a perfect score?
322
She thought that David and I went to the store.
323
She thought that me and David went to the store.
324
The structure of this sentence is a little bit confusing because David and I are not at the beginning.
325
And we usually think that the subject is at the beginning.
326
But actually, this sentence has two different subjects.
327
She, and then the word that resets.
328
So David and I are also subjects.
329
She thought that David and I went to the store.
330
David and I are the subjects of this part of the sentence.
331
So that's why the correct answer is she thought that David and I went to the store.
332
Her and I used to work together.
333
She and I used to work together.
334
Me and Ginny left at 3.
335
Ginny and I left at 3.
336
My brother and I got into a big fight.
337
Me and my brother got into a big fight.
338
Mom and I are leaving.
339
Me and mom are leaving.
340
Mom and I are leaving.
341
They left David and I with the bill.
342
They left me and David with the bill.
343
They left when me and David got there.
344
They left when David and I got there.
345
This is sort of confusing just like the first sentence.
346
David and I are not at the beginning of the sentence,
347
but we're the subjects of this part of the sentence.
348
The word when resets it.
349
So they is a subject,
350
but David and I are also a subject.
351
They left when David and I got there.
352
David and I are the subject of this part of the sentence.
353
Hey, what score did you get?
354
Put it in the comments below.
355
Don't forget to check out rachelsenglish.com slash free to get my free course,
356
The Top Three Ways to Master the American Accent.
357
Keep your learning going now with this video,
358
and don't forget to subscribe with notifications on.
359
I love being your English teacher.
360
it and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.

Download App

AI scoring for every sentence you speak

Scan To Download
Scan To Download
Download on theApp Store
Get it onGoogle Play
TRENDING

Popular

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you'll improve your understanding of the correct usage of pronouns when they are combined with names. You'll practice the essential difference between "I" and "me," especially in sentences where names are included. This lesson also emphasizes the importance of pronunciation and connected speech in natural English conversation. By the end of this session, you’ll be better equipped for authentic English speaking practice and confident in your grammar skills.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • I - Subject pronoun used by the speaker.
  • Me - Object pronoun that receives the action.
  • Checked into - The action of registering at a hotel.
  • And - A conjunction used to connect phrases.
  • Pronoun - A word that takes the place of a noun.
  • Subject - The person or thing that performs the action in a sentence.
  • Object - The recipient of the action in a sentence.
  • Reduction of speech - The natural shortening of words during conversation.

Practice Tips

To effectively improve your English speaking skills, try using shadowing techniques based on this lesson. Here’s how to do it:

  • Select short segments: Focus on brief phrases that highlight the differences between "I" and "me." This will make it easier to understand their correct usage in context.
  • Listen carefully: Pay attention to the pronunciation and rhythm of the phrases. Note how the word “and” is often reduced in spoken American English.
  • Repeat after the speaker: Use shadow speech to mimic the pace and intonation. This will enhance your fluency and help you adopt a more natural accent.
  • Practice with a partner: Engage in conversations using these structures to reinforce your learning. This will also give you practical experience in distinguishing between "I" and "me" during discussions.
  • Record yourself: Use a tool to record your shadow speak sessions. Listening back can help identify areas for improvement and boost your confidence.

By incorporating these techniques into your practice, you will significantly enhance your English speaking abilities. Remember, consistent practice is key to mastering English grammar and achieving a natural American accent!

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

☕ Buy us a coffee