“I congratulate President Trump on his election as 47th President of the United States of America, as well as Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and their families.

“I also thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country.

“The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions. Laura and I are grateful to the election officials, poll workers, and volunteers who oversaw a free and fair election.

“We join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government. May God continue to bless our great country.”

The above is a recent statement by a former President of the United States of America, George W Bush. Beyond being a good gesture from a statesman, as he congratulated the country’s President-elect, Donald Trump, the piece provides the basis for our lesson today. We shall analyse three expressions in it, which many often find rather too tricky to handle. The way Bush presents the three is instructive. When the subject of a clause combines the speaker/writer and another fellow, the name of the other party should come first. The same applies if personal pronouns (I, you, he etc.) are involved. It is a concept that symbolises courtesy/politeness and maturity. Unfortunately, a lot of folks are obsessed with putting themselves first:

I and John will be there. (Wrong)

Me and John will be there. (Wrong)

John and I will be there. (Correct)

The same rule applies when we have compound objects:

They invited me and John. (Wrong)

They invited John and me. (Correct)

Now, here is how our dear Bush does justice to this linguistic culture:

“Laura and I are grateful to the election officials…”

In other words, it would be inappropriate to say:

I and Laura are grateful to the election officials.

Double or no comma

Among other roles that commas play in communication, it helps in separating nonessential appositives (added information) as well as non-restrictive relative clauses.  In such contexts, you can take out the elements inserted into clauses without injuring the structure.