Better Than Me or Better Than I?
Better Than Me Or Better Than I
Short Answer: "Better than me" and "Better than I" both are grammatically correct depending on the use of the word, Than. If Than is used as a preposition, then "Better than me" is correct, and if Than is used as a conjunction, then "Better than I (am)" is correct.
However, you need to go through the entire article to understand why, how and when to use "Better than me" and "Better than I". To do so, you need to look at 3 things:
1. The historical uses of Than
2. The function of a conjunction
3. The function of a preposition
1. Historical Usage of Than
In this part, we’re going to look at how poets, writers and grammarians used the word, Than whether as a conjunction or a preposition or as both from the 8th century to the 21st century. That is we will examine the conjunctional and prepositional uses of Than during the period of Old English, Middle English and Modern English.
Conjunctional Use of Than
The conjunctional use of the word, Than is far older than the prepositional one. The use of Than as a conjunction comes from Old English which was attested in the 8th century.
According to Oxford English Dictionary, the conjunctional use of the word, Than was before the 12th century (and is still in use.), and the prepositional use of Than appeared in 1560.
As the dictionary says that the first prepositional use of Than appeared in 1560, it's not wrong to say that before the 16th century, Than was only a conjunction, and not a preposition.
Conjunctional and Prepositional Uses of Than
Robert Lowth, a well-known prescriptive grammarian of the 18th century wrote a book on English grammar named "A Short Introduction to English Grammar: With Critical Notes". In this book, in the chapter of conjunction, on page number 87, he enlisted the word, Than as a mere conjunction, and not as a preposition.
William Shakespeare, the great English poet of the late 16th and early 17th centuries published a history play and tragedy named Julius Caesar.
In his play, Julius Caesar, in Act 1, Scene 3, he employs the word, Than as a preposition in the sentence, “A man no mightier than thyself or me in personal action.”. He says, "than thyself or me" where Than is used as a preposition.
John Milton, another well-known 17th century poet, also uses the word, Than as a preposition in his poem, “Paradise Lost”.
He says, "Which when Beelzebub perceived, than whom, Satan except, none higher sat with grave aspect he rose, and in his rising seem'd a pillar of state.". He uses “than whom” where Than is used as a preposition.
Henry Watson Fowler, another prescriptive grammarian of the 20th century wrote a dictionary on modern usage named A Dictionary of Modern English Usage.
Fowler's A Dictionary of Modern English Usage is an authority book for British English in which, on page no 619, he says that the word, Than is used as both a conjunction and a preposition.
Summary: Better Than Me or Better Than I
The word, Than was first used as a conjunction in Old English in the 8th century which continued until the 16th century. Then during the 16th to 18th centuries, the prepositional use of the word, Than appeared in the writings of several poets, writers and grammarians.
The prepositional use of Than was called into question by the 18th century grammarians, and after a long debate among the grammarians, the prepositional use was accepted.
Many dictionaries including Oxford English Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary and Merriam Webster have included entry 2 for the word, Than as a preposition. Now after the 21st century, the conjunctional and the prepositional uses of Than are accepted and grammatical.
2.The Function of a Conjunction
A conjunction is used to connect two words, phrases, clauses or sentences. The word, Than is a subordinate conjunction which introduces a subordinate clause(a dependent sentence), and the pronoun used after it will be in subjective case.
Examples:
(a) He is better than I (am).
(b) She is older than I (am).
(c) John is more intelligent than I (am).
Note that the use of verbs after the subject followed by Than is optional. So using "Am" here is optional which is indicated by putting it in brackets.
3. The Function of a Preposition
A preposition is a word or a group of words that's used before a noun or pronoun to show time, place, direction, etc., making the noun or pronoun its object. So, when we use the word, Than as a preposition, we use the pronoun in objective case.
Examples:
(a) He is better than me.
(b) John is stronger than me.
(c) Sofia is more beautiful than her.
Note that you can't use any verb after the use of Than as a preposition in the sentences mentioned above.
FAQs- Better Than me or Better Than I
He is better than me correct the sentence.
The sentence, "He is better than me" is already grammatically correct. The reason is that the word, Than is used here as a preposition.
Which is correct, than I or than me
Both "than I" and "than me" are grammatically correct. In Than I, Than is used as a conjunction whereas in Than me, Than is used as a preposition.
You know better than me meaning
You have more knowledge than I do.
I am better than he or him
You can use both subject pronoun and object pronoun in "I am better than he or him". "I am better than he" is correct. Similarly, "I am better than him" is also correct.
Better than me or I grammatically correct
Yes, better than me or I is grammatically correct. You can use either object pronoun, me here or subject pronoun, I. Both of them are grammatical.
Better than me or I grammar
In grammar, "better than me or I" is correct depending on the use of Than as preposition or conjunction.
Better than me or I examples
He is better than me.
She is better than her mother.
John is better than his brother.
You're better than I (am).
Sofia is better than I (am).
John is better than I (am).
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