Both of these can be correct.

There is an easy test to apply when deciding if you should use ‘I’ or ‘me’ in a sentence.

Me and my friends

Look at these two sentences:

My father is taking me and my friends out to dinner.

My father is taking my friends and I out to dinner.

In this case, the first sentence is correct. The test is to shorten

the sentences:

My father is taking me out to dinner.

My father is taking I out to dinner.

Now you can easily see that the first version is correct. You would not say:

My father is taking I out to dinner.

Therefore, you would not say:

My father is taking my friends and I out to dinner.

The correct version is:

My father is taking me and my friends out to dinner.

My friends and I

A similar test can be applied with the following two sentences:

My friends and I are going out for dinner.

Me and my friends are going out for dinner.

Just shorten the sentences:

I am going out for dinner.

Me is going out for dinner.

You can immediately see that the first version is correct:

I am going out for dinner.

Therefore, the following is correct:

My friends and I are going out for dinner.

However, remember that when speaking or writing in a casual/informal style, it’s not a hanging offence to break these rules!

Further clarification:

The Wordwatch Towers butler has just rushed in (i.e. walking a little faster than standing still) to let me know that there is much discussion on the interwebs about whether or not the person writing/speaking should always place herself or himself second in the sentence.

Some people are asserting that the following sentence is ‘wrong’ because the writer/speaker is mentioned first:

My father is taking me and my friends out to dinner.

Well, to be clear, it isn’t ‘wrong’; it’s correct, as is the following:

My father is taking my friends and me out to dinner.

Similarly, both of the following are correct:

I and my friends are going out for dinner.

My friends and I are going out for dinner.

In summary, you can place ‘I’ or ‘me’ first or second; the choice is entirely yours. Also, see discussion about this in the comments thread below.

More writing guides

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– definitions of commonly used foreign words and phrases;

– clear explanations of word classes, including nouns, adjectives and verbs; and

– a brief guide go politically correct writing.

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