Strangely, my ear is mixed on this. When someone calls on the phone and asks for Mr. Whicker or John, I always answer "This is he." But, when called on a roll, I usually answer, "That's me." In both cases, the alternative sounds wrong. I can't say "This is him" nor "That's I". As for "It is I", I never use either; when asked "who's there?" I usually answer with my name.

I found it interesting that people were throwing around the word "correct" regarding this issue. It was interesting to think that I might be corrected for answering "This is he" because it has become incorrect to use the nominative for subject complements.

John H. Whicker
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: DD Farms<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 2:12 PM
  Subject: It is I


  DD: I consider, "It's me." I consider, "It is I." If I am the 
  responder asked outside the door, I opt for "Smee." I consider what 
  the Lord would say, "It is I, your King." Both sound correct to me. 
  One has the qualifier tag on and sounds more formal. Back when I was 
  lectured to on this sort of things, the teacher would just say the 
  first is colloquial.
  Similarly, sort of, the answer to being asked, "Who is out there 
  making all that racket?" is usually of the type, "It's him again." Is 
  it a try for the dedication to using Latin grammar in English?

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