You Before Me—The Other Person Always Goes First

  • Category: Edit
    • |
  • On March 31, 2020

I recently received an out-of-office reply that read, I and the whole team are at an off-site meeting this week, so checking email is going to be a little difficult.

The writer should have written, The team and I are at an off-site meeting, because you always put yourself last in a list. Similarly, when you’re using the possessive pronoun my in combination with somebody else, you put yourself last, too. So you would say, Jane Doe has the team’s and my full support.

It’s a matter of simple courtesy—and good writing style.

 

 

 

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