Choose the grammatically correct form of English:
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Choose the grammatically correct form of English:
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The pronoun follows the preposition 'with', meaning it must be in the objective case. 'Me' is the objective form, whereas 'I' is the nominative form.
Step-by-step Derivation:
Step 1: Identify the grammatical role of the pronoun in the sentence. The phrase 'with Susan and [pronoun]' acts as a prepositional phrase where 'with' is the preposition.
Step 2: Determine the required case for a pronoun following a preposition. Pronouns acting as objects of prepositions must be in the objective case (me, him, her, us, them).
Step 3: Test the options by removing the other person (Susan) to check for natural phrasing. 'Samuel was with I' is grammatically incorrect; 'Samuel was with me' is grammatically correct.
Step 4: Apply the rule to the compound object. Since 'me' is correct individually, 'Susan and me' is the correct compound object.
Step 5: Evaluate the options. Option A uses the nominative 'I' incorrectly. Option C uses the nominative 'I' incorrectly. Option D is technically grammatically correct in terms of case, but standard English etiquette and style typically place the other person first ('Susan and me') rather than 'me and Susan'. Option B follows both grammatical rules and standard stylistic conventions.