The Quick Answer
Should you write "than I" or "than me"?"John is taller than me" and "John is taller than I" are both correct. However, some of your readers might think that "John is taller than me" is wrong (even though it sounds natural), and some of your readers might think that "John is taller than I" sounds pretentious. The safest option is to expand the sentence after the "than." For example:
- John is taller than I am. (This construction will satisfy all your readers and remove any ambiguity (more on ambiguity below).)
"Than I" or "Than Me"?
Writers often ask whether they should write "taller than me" or "taller than I"?The quick answer is both are correct, but not everyone agrees that both are correct, and that's the problem. Here's the issue: the word "than" can be classified as either a conjunction or a preposition, and that's the root of the debate.
"Than" as a Conjunction
When "than" is used as a conjunction, it looks like this:- John is taller than I am.
- John is taller than I.
(This is just a more succinct version.)
"Than" as a Preposition
When "than" is used as a preposition, it looks like this:- John is taller than me.
- "than I" (This means the following are also acceptable: "than he," "than she," "than we," "than they.")
- "than me" (This means the following are also acceptable: "than him," "than her," "than us," "than them.")
"Than Me" Sounds More Natural
For most people, the "than me" version sounds more natural than "than I." However, "than me" is the version that runs the higher risk of being considered wrong. This is almost certainly because the "than I" version has been in use longer and seems more grammatically correct. For some though, the "than I" version sounds pretentious. So, there are some factors to consider before choosing, without any definitive guidelines.Avoiding Ambiguity with "Than Me"
Unfortunately, it's not as simple as doing whatever you want and, if challenged, claiming that the world's grammarians have been squabbling for hundreds of years over this issue. There is another issue to consider. Sometimes, the "than me" version introduces ambiguity. Look at this example:- John likes Peter more than me. (This sentence is ambiguous. So, we've marked it as wrong.)
- John prefers Peter to me.
- John likes Peter more than I like Peter.
- John likes Peter more than he likes me.
- 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?
- You like him more than whom?
The Final Advice: Expand Your Sentence
The best option is to use the "than I" version and expand the sentence after "than I." This usually means adding at least the verb (e.g., "than I am," "than I was," "than they have"). This structure removes all ambiguity and stops your wording sounding pretentious.- John is taller than me. (This is okay, but some of your readers won't like it.)
- John is taller than I. (This is okay, but a few of your readers won't like it, and some will think it sounds pretentious.)
- John is taller than I am. (No one can argue this version, and it portrays you as a clear thinker. We've given this one a tick.)
- John rates Peter more than I.
- John rates Peter more than me. (Both of these examples are ambiguous.)
- 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. (No one can argue this version, and it portrays you as a clear thinker.)
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