NEVER say "Me and..."!!

This one is easy, friends. Seriously - NEVER SAY "Me and..." no matter what follows the "and". I'll get to "me" vs. "I" in another post. Just get this one down, and never, ever say it. Don't write it either, even or especially on social media.

Me and my brother are going shopping after school.*

Do you want to go with me and Jim?*

I taught in a Catholic high school, and I told my students to "be the good Christian, and put the other guy first." I thought I was being witty and clever, and I was desperate for them to remember this simple rule. (It also sounds nicer than "People who say 'me and' will burn in the fiery pits of hell.") Use it if it works for you.

I would be satisfied enough if the rule ended there and people simply stopped saying "me and". If you don't remember what a subject or direct object of a sentence is, then stick to the above rule. However, readers who already have a good grasp of English grammar will know that there are instances when it does work.

The combination of [me + and] can be used if a comma is - or could be - inserted between them.
For instance:

She called me, and I agreed to meet her for lunch.

My brother punched me, and I punched him back. 

It's also fine in this sentence without a comma:

Me and you are both pronouns.

...but why would you ever need to say that?

 Just don't ever say or write "me and," and no one needs to get hurt.



* The red sentences should be:

My brother and I are going shopping after school.

Do you want to go with Jim and me?