₦airaland Forum

chukxie:
Nice one. Could you explain why "She sings better than me" is grammatically wrong while " She sings better than I" is right? Considering 'me' is an objective pronoun that usually comes after the main verb in a sentence, it would make more sense that the first sentence is correct. 'She sings better than I do' is correct, too.

Hello Chuxie, it is grammatically wrong to say 'She sings better than me do'.It is only logical and grammatical to say 'She sings better than I do. However, the word 'do'is often ellipted (deliberately left out).

Hope you are cleared on this?

Drop your answers and give explanations defending your choice of answer. Thanks.

@ blunt, to respond to your statement on 'I am hearing you.' This is grammatically wrong. This is because words like 'hear, promise, concern, own, feel, among others are called STAIVE VERBS, and can't be used in the PROGRESSIVE and OR CONTINUOUS FORMS; THEY CAN ONLY BE USED IN SIMPLE PRESENT OR PAST TENSE FORMS.

ON THE ISSUE OF NATIVE SPEAKERS USING STATIVE VERBS IN THE CONTINUOUS FORMS,I WOULD AUTHORITATIVELY ASSERT THAT AS NATIVES SPEAKERS OF YORUBA, IGBO OR HAUSA, WE ALSO MAKE GRAMMATICAL BLUNDERS.

LANGUAGE IS NO RESPECTER OF THE NATIVE SPEAKERS OF THE LANGUAGE. YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO MASTER AND INTERNALISE THE WORINGS AND RULES OF THE LANGUAGE.

I CHALLENGE YOU TO TAKE A TRIP TO UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, YOU WILL MANY AMERICANS WHO CAN SPEAK BETTER THAN MANY YORUBA NATIVE SPESKERS, WHO HAVE COME TO NIGERIA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YORUBA AS PART OF THEIR ACCLAMATISATION PROGRAMME JUST LIKE NIGERIANS STUDYING FRENCH OR CHINESE.

When you say 'You sing better than I' , the complete sentence is 'you sing better than I do. ' Obviously, you can't say YOU SING BETTER THAN ME DO. THAT WILL BE GRAMMATICALLY WRONG. WHEN 'THAN' is used in a sentence, it means the other part of the sentence is ellipted(deliberately) left out, and to start the other part of the sentence, you can start with an objective case of pronoun.

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

CASE OF PRONOUNS
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Pronouns are words used instead of nouns, that is, they are used to replace nouns in sentences.

The prominent advantage of pronouns is that it helps prevent unnecessary repetition of nouns in sentences.

On the other hand, CASE of PRONOUNS is the FORMS and FUNCTIONS of pronouns in sentences.

We have the following case of pronouns in English:

SUBJECTIVE CASE : it is used in subject position and often comes before the verb in a sentence, e.g. SHE, HE, IT, YOU, THEY and I.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
OBJECTIVE CASE : it is comes after the verb ,that is, it is the element that receives the action performed by the subject, e.g ME, HER, HIM, THEM, YOU, and US.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
POSSESSIVE CASE: It is used to show possession or ownership, e.g. MINE, OURS, HIS, HERS, THEIRS and ITS.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
REFLEXIVE CASE: It is used to mark a reference back to the subject, and it often ends with the suffix 'self or selves'. Here are examples: MYSELF, HIMSELF, YOURSELF/VES, THEMSELVES, HERSELF and ITSELF.
------------------------------------------------------------------
#READ, LEARN, AND SHARE THIS POST, IT DOESN'T COST A THING TO SHARE; JUST CLICK THE SHARE ICON. #THANKS.

Do you have any problem with the use of pronouns in English: feel free to drop your question, rest assured of a resourceful response.

COMMON MISTAKES IN THE USE OF PRONOUNS

They fought themselves. ❌
They fought each other. ✔

She sings better than me. ❌
She sings better than I. ✔

One should not behave as if he knows it all. ❌
One should not behave as if one knows it all ✔

The questions are directed to we girls. ❌
The questions are directed to us girls. ✔

She meant Bola and I. ❌
She meant Bola and me. ✔

Everybody love watching American movies. ❌
Everybody loves watching American movies. ✔

To learn more you can always follow me on this platform. You can also visit, like and follow me on Facebook and Instagram on Afolearning English. #THANKS.

Take some quick English Lesson

You're taking it personal ❌
You're taking it personally ✔

He is matured ❌
He is mature ✔
He has matured ✔

The reason is Because ❌
The reason is that ✔

My stuffs ❌
My stuff ✔

Night vigil ❌
Vigil ✔

Traveling bag ❌
Travel Bag ✔

As at when due ❌
As and when due ✔

Be rest assured ❌
Rest assured ✔

I'm hearing you ❌
I can hear you ✔

My names are ❌
My name is ✔

All manners of ❌
All manner of ✔

She delivered a baby boy ❌
She was delivered of a baby boy ✔

Lacking behind ❌
Lagging behind ✔

Crack your brain ❌
Rack your brain ✔

Return it back ❌
Return it ✔

Zambia comprises of 10 provinces❌
Zambia comprises 10 provinces✔
Zambia is comprised of 10 provinces✔

Wake keeping ❌
Wake keep ❌
Wake ✔

Exercise patience ❌
Be patient ✔

Barbing saloon ❌
Barber shop ✔

I forgot my phone at home ❌
I left my phone at home✔

Borrow me your pen ❌
Lend me your pen ✔
May I borrow your pen ✔

More grease to your elbow ❌
More power to your elbow ✔

Funny enough, I've never liked him ❌
Funnily enough, I've never liked him ✔

My body is scratching me ❌
My body itches ✔

Letterhead paper ❌
Letterhead ✔

I'm not your mate ❌
We're not mates ✔

You're mannerless ❌
You're ill-mannered ✔

Horn at the car in front ❌
Honk at the car in front ✔

Happy birthday in arrears ❌
Happy belated birthday ❌
Belated happy birthday ✔

I will sleep at 10pm ❌
I will go to bed at 10pm ✔

Just when I thought I have seen it all ❌
Just when I thought I had seen it all ✔

First come, First serve ❌
First come, First served ✔

Please dash me ❌
Please hand it on to me ✔
Please give me ✔

I have a running nose ❌
I have a runny nose ✔

I have a running stomach ❌
I have a runny stomach ❌
I have an upset stomach ✔

Working Experience ❌
Work Experience ✔