The object of this activity is to help children understand when to use
the subject pronoun ‘I’
and when to use the object pronoun ‘me’.
Children will sometimes confuse these pronouns and use them in the wrong
positions in sentences. This usually
happens when more than one subject or object fills the subject or object
position in a sentence. For example,
children will correctly say:
·
I went to the swimming
pool.
However, when another
subject is included, they often change the subject pronoun to the object
pronoun:
·
Me and my family went to the swimming pool. ) Incorrect as
object pronoun
·
Me and Suzie went to the swimming
pool. ) ‘me’ used in the subject position.
Similarly, the object pronoun is sometimes confused when another object is added.
·
Grandma loves me. (Correct)
·
Grandma loves Suzie and I. (Incorrect as subject pronoun ‘I’ used in the object position.)
This is Tibbles. The idea is to use the cards to make a
sentence and then ‘Take Tibbles out’ of each sentence to check if the sentence sounds
right and the correct pronoun has been used.
Children should
choose one sentence card and decide which Tibbles card and pronoun card they
need to complete the sentence correctly.
When they have made
the sentence, ask them to ‘Take Tibbles out’.
Does the sentence still make sense?
‘Tibbles and I’
should be used before the verb (highlighted red) as this is the subject
position. Usually the proper noun comes before the subject pronoun ‘I’. If children have used ‘me’ in this position,
talk to them about whether it sounds right to say, for example, ‘Me chased
bubbles’. What would sound better?
If the object
position (after the verb) needs completing, children will need to use the ‘me’
pronoun card. Again, if they select ‘I’,
talk about sense and ask how it sounds.
It is also quite
useful for children to notice the positional pattern: ‘I’ is used before the
verb and ‘me’ is used after.
I
|
me
|
Tibbles and
|
and Tibbles
|
_____ watched TV.
|
_____ went
for a walk.
|
_____ chased bubbles.
|
_____ played in the garden.
|
_____ sat on the sofa.
|
_____ fell asleep.
|
Mum gave some treats to _____ .
|
The thunder frightened _____ .
|
My brother drew _____ .
|
The dog barked at _____ .
|
Using the template
cards, children could make up their own sentences to vary the activity.
Return to pronoun post
Return to pronoun post
