Does the title sound strange to you? Probably. I know that phrase sounded so weird to me as a girl when my baton twirling instructor answered the phone and uttered those words. I had never heard anyone speak that way, but I just knew it must be correct, rather than saying, "This is me." I just didn't know why it is correct until years later. The traditional grammar rule states that when a linking verb is used in a sentence, it should be followed by a subject case pronoun. Remember the linking verbs: is, are, was were, be, being, been, and words such as appear and seem that describe a state of being. Here are some examples of correct pronoun usage:
"It was he who called."
"It is we who will go."
According to Grammar Girl, and my daughter, it is perfectly acceptable these days to not follow the traditional rule, because it sounds so stiff and unnatural. So, if you prefer to be casual, it's fine to say, "This is me." I find myself using both, but to this day, I still answer an inquiring phone call with, "This is she."
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