The Secret IQ Test Hidden in Plain Sight: “Me Vs I”

I love when I stumble on a post where someone nails the proper use of you and I. It’s one of those little things that sends a quiet signal that this person is sharp.

Grammar is more than grammar. I view it as a type of signal. The way you write tells people, often subconsciously, whether you’re detail-oriented and aware. And for those who do notice, the difference is as obvious as a microphone bump left in a film mix.

Here’s the test:

“My friend and I went to the store.” (Drop “my friend” → I went to the store ✅)

“Me and my friend went to the store.” (Drop “my friend” → Me went to the store ❌)

As a sound editor and sound designer, my entire career has been about catching the details other people miss. A faint hum, a mismatched footstep, a sound that doesn’t belong. It all matters. And the same way sloppy sound breaks immersion, sloppy grammar quietly breaks credibility. Those details may seem small, but they decide whether the story feels real.

People may not call it out, but they register it. Getting it wrong doesn’t mean you’re unintelligent but it does signal you’re unaware. And getting it right sends the signal that you care about the small things, and the small things are often what make the whole experience feel real.

Now, this isn’t about grammar snobbery. It’s about signals. Just like sloppy sound  make a film feel off, sloppy grammar quietly communicates something, too. People may not call it out, but they register it. Getting it wrong doesn’t make you dumb, but it signals unawareness. Getting it right signals attention, intelligence, and care.

That’s why it jumps out at me: I’m trained to hear and fix details. So here’s my broad-stroke reminder—if you want your words to carry weight, pay attention to the small signals.

Because whether it’s sound or syntax, the smallest details are often what make the whole thing feel real.