Teo  +  472679 Mon, 04 Feb 08 10:00 PM The normal sequence of personal pronouns is as follows: singular: [you, (s)he and I]; plural [we, you and they] However, according to Treasury of English Grammar, when we want to express something unpleasant, the sequence of personal pronouns is as follows: singular [I, (s)he and you]; plural [they, you and we] For example, I, he and you will be punished for being late. They, you and we should leave there at once. Can any native speaker tell me whether the above rules are true or not? Teo Joined on Tue, Sep 28 2004 Taiwan Contributing Member 1,631 Thank you very much for your reply. Grammar, Plurals, Nouns, Pronouns, English Grammar

	Clive  +  472702 Mon, 04 Feb 08 11:15 PM Hi, I've never heard of this rule. It sounds odd to me. Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,298 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	Teo  +  472973 Tue, 05 Feb 08 01:24 PM http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=199&t=48145&sid=8860c21cc3f2b8e1741b475f89b790d0&p=341919#p341919 These are not grammar rules but conventions of usage. You would probably do well to follow them, but you will not be grammatically 'incorrect' if you do not. Teo Grammar

	Yankee  +  472977 Tue, 05 Feb 08 01:39 PM  Teo wrote: These are not grammar rules but conventions of usage.  Teo wrote: For example, I, he and you will be punished for being late. They, you and we should leave there at once. Let's put it this way, Teo:  Those two sentences don't sound the least bit "conventional" to me. Yankee Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006 Connecticut, USA Veteran Member 6,406 Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain Grammar

	Clive  +  472978 Tue, 05 Feb 08 01:40 PM Hi, I, he and you will be punished for being late. They, you and we should leave there at once. I would say that native speakers would tend to avoid such awkward remarks, by saying simpler things like this. We will all be punished for being late. Everybody should leave there at once. Clive Clive

	Kooyeen  +  472984 Tue, 05 Feb 08 01:49 PM Hi, I don't think there's a rule for that... a rule that makes sense, at least.  Teo wrote: I, he and you will be punished for being late. They, you and we should leave there at once. I rellay don't like those examples, and I have no idea how native speakers would say the same thing. I think I would say one of these, but don't ask me why: We'll all be punished for that. Me, you, and him will be punished for that. He, you, and I will be punished for that. And maybe also this... You, him, and I will be punished for that. If anyone knows something better that people actually use and not "think they should use", let me know... Kooyeen Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005 Italy Senior Member 4,933 Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts

	Yankee  +  472990 Tue, 05 Feb 08 02:00 PM I'm also still trying to make sense of the use of 'should leave there at once' in combination with 'they, you and we'.  Without any justifying context, the word 'there' only makes the sentence sound even odder to me. Yankee