Many new grammatical errors have appeared in the English language since the advent of social media and the widespread use of short forms of communication. Many people mistakenly use the phrases “I am” and “am” in their writing and speech today. This article concisely analyses this frequent blunder by outlining the difference between I’m and Am and providing examples of when each should be used.
Difference between I’m and Am
What is the difference between I’m and Am?
1. “I’m” is the contraction of “I Am,” While “Am” is a primary auxiliary verb ‘to be like: is, was, are, am, were, be, being, and been.
E.g., “I am” is contracted to “I’m” by removing the “A,” and it also affects or reflects in the pronunciation of such words.
These auxiliary verbs could be helping verbs, e.g., I am dancing, He is laughing.
They can also be used in linking verbs. For example, “I am a singer.”
2. “AM” is an auxiliary verb that helps the main verb. For instance, “I am reading”
“Reading” is the main verb and is helped by the auxiliary “am,” which gives the whole sentence meaning.
3. “Is” can only be used at the beginning of a sentence if it begins a question. Example,
“Is there any other book here?”
Hence, it is wrong to say the following :
“Is a goal.”
Say, “It is /It’s a goal.”
Is not true.”
Say, “It is not/it’s not true.”
“Is a lie.”
Say, “It is a lie/It’s a lie.”
Is like you don’t understand what am saying “
Say,” It is like /It’s like you don’t understand what I AM/I’M saying “
” Is not what you think. “ Say,” It is my/It’s not what you think. “
CONTRACTIONS
Contractions or “Short forms” are simply words that have been shortened or “contracted” by removing certain letters from them.
Common examples of contractions in the English language :
‘m = am (I’m)
‘re = are ( You’re, we’re, they’re)
‘s = is and has ( he’s (he is/he has), she’s, it’s)
‘ve = have ( you’ve, we’ve, they’ve)
‘ll = Will ( He’ll, they’ll, we’ll, you’ll, he’ll, she’ll)
‘d = had and would ( I’d you’d, he’d, she’d, they’d, we’d)
Contractions with an auxiliary verb and NOT. Contraction for NOT Isn’t
Aren’t = are not
Can’t = cannot
Couldn’t = Could not
Didn’t = Did not
Hasn’t = has not
Wouldn’t = would not
Won’t = will not
Shouldn’t = Should not
Shan’t = Shall not
Isn’t = is not
Mustn’t = must not.
Meaning of “I AM”
“I am” is a pronoun of the first person singular. When used as the subject of the verb “to be” or “to have,” the pronoun “I” is appropriate. Therefore, the speaker or writer uses the pronoun “I am” when referring to him or herself.
- For example, I am Popular; I am traveling to Abuja tomorrow, I am going to school, I am going to answer your question, and I am cooking food.
- ‘I am’ is also used to refer to a present continuous action happening to a person.
- For instance: I am going to the Market now, I am playing football, I am reading, I am from Nigeria.
Meaning of “I’M.”
“I’m” is short for “I am.” In standard American English, “I’m” is a perfectly acceptable contraction, meaning the same thing as “I am” but being slightly shorter. Therefore, the meaning of I’m is identical to that of I am, and I’m in the shortened form of I am.
I’m can be used in phrases like “I’m fine,” “I’m so happy,” “I’m coming to your house,” “I’m writing,” “I’m speaking,” and “I’m working.”
Difference Between “I Am” AND “Am” (With Examples)
Another common mistake is to use the word “am” instead of “I am” or “I’m.”
The word “am” has become a slang substitute for “I am” and “I’m” in casual conversation. When someone you’re talking to response to your “How are you?” with “Am fine,” that’s an example of a paraphrase. That phrase has no meaning in English and is therefore completely incorrect. If someone asks you how you are doing, you can say, “I’m fine,” which is shorthand for “I am fine.”
If you want to start a sentence with the first person singular pronoun, you should use the form “I’m” or “I am,” but since “am” is just an auxiliary verb, you shouldn’t. Unless it’s a question, a sentence that begins with “am” is incorrect grammar. To give just one illustration:
a. Am I suffering a form of dyslexia?
b. Am I good?
c. Am I playing football?
d. Am I a writer?
c. Am I a Jose Mourinho fan?
One of the rules of English grammar is that a pronoun must come before a verb, so it is incorrect to replace “I” with “am” at the beginning of a sentence. Using a verb where a pronoun should make the sentence meaningless because it goes against a fundamental principle of the English language.
It’s also instructive to remember that you can’t replace “I am” or “I’m” with “am.” Depending on the context, you can only use I’m instead of I am. In a casual setting, the grammar is fine. Although both have the same meaning, one is incorrect in a more formal setting.
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I hope that, after reading these examples/explanations of the difference between I’m and Am, you will be able to avoid making these errors in your writing on future exams.
Please use the space below to ask any questions you might have.