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UserTK Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Me vs. My

Are both grammatically correct below?
If so, is there a difference in meaning?

She was surprised at me yelling at him.
She was surprised at my yelling at him.

Many thanks.
  

Top answer

Yes, they are both gramatically correct, and there's no difference in meaning. In examples where a gerund-participial clause is complement to a preposition like "at", then it's a free choice between using a genitive case or accusative case subject. The only difference is one of formality, with the genitive "my" being a tad more formal than the non-genitive "me"; that's all.

— BillJ

  • Yes, they are both gramatically correct, and there's no difference in meaning.
  • In examples where a gerund-participial clause is complement to a preposition like "at", then it's a free choice between using a genitive case or accusative case subject.
  • The only difference is one of formality, with the genitive "my" being a tad more formal than the non-genitive "me"; that's all.
  • BillJ
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6 Answers
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Yes, they are both gramatically correct, and there's no difference in meaning.

In examples where a gerund-participial clause is complement to a preposition like "at", then it's a free choice between using a genitive case or accusative case subject.

The only difference is one of formality, with the genitive "my" being a tad more formal than the non-genitive "me"; that's all.
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Thank you very much, BillJ
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BillJIn examples where a gerund-participial clause is complement to a preposition like "at"
It also applies to verb complements.
She resented my messing with her stuff.
She resented me messing with her stuff
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Maybe it is me. " She was surprised by my yelling....." sounds more common to my ear than "at".

In conversational English, I would say " She was surprised that I yelled at him"
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The difference is that the version with "my" is much more formal. In most, everyday situations, it's more common and much less formal to use the version with "me".
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AlpheccaStarsIt also applies to verb complements.
I wonder, though, what the consensus is regarding its use as a subject.

My messing with her stuff was the cause of our breakup.
Me messing with her stuff was the cause of our breakup.

One of my teachers in ancient times also claimed there could be a difference in meaning:
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